ABSTRACT
Psychiatric stigma refers to systemic and internalized stereotypical negative attitudes against individual with mental illness. This article describes the level of self stigma, stereotype endorsement and perceived discrimination experienced by patients with Bipolar- I disorder in Tehran. Data were collected from a total of 126 patients with Bipolar- I disorder who responded to acute phase treatment using the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale. The ISMI scale has five. Alienation, Stereotype Endorsement, Perceived Discrimination, Social Withdrawal and Stigma Resistance. In this study 26.7% of participants reported moderate to high levels of self stigma, 57.49% moderate to high levels of stigma resistance and 18.3% moderate to high levels of Perceived discrimination. The results suggest that, self stigma appears in over one fifth of individuals with Bipolar-I disorder in Iran. The symptoms of Bipolar- I disorder have profound impacts on the quality of life of affected patients. Psychosocial functioning and self-esteem is impaired in people with Bipolar-I disorder. Interventions are required to reduce the negative effects of internalized stigma in this group
ABSTRACT
Psychotropic drug use in the elderly with chronic schizophrenia is an important issue in the field of psychiatry. The main goal of this study was to clarify the pattern of such drug use in these patients, in order to consider such therapy plan and focus on its cost attributing measures, for a more reasonable quality of care program. In this descriptive study, participants included 52 elderly patients at Tehran's Razi Mental Hospital who had chronic schizophrenia in the residual phase. Selected patients were taking at least two psychotropic drugs equivalent to 500mg Chlorpromazine. We prepared the list of the drugs used by completing the pre-designed questionnaire charts. Data were analyzed with SPSS 17. In one case [1.92%] the entries were Risperidone, Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine Decanoate, and Thiothixene]. In 11 cases [21.2%] there were three entries and in 40 cases [76.8%] there were two. The Chlorpromazine equivalent dose in each group ranged from the lowest dose [750. mg] to the highest [5600. mg]. The highest Chlorpromazine dose [5600. mg] equivalent per milligram belonged to the four entries of [Risperidone, Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine Decanoate and Thiothixene]. The lowest Chlorpromazine dose [750. mg] was seen in 3 entries of Risperidone, Chlorpromazine and Fluphenazine Decanoate. There was a high prevalence of using more than two psychotropic medications from the first atypical antipsychotic category. Less frequently, the second and the third typical antipsychotics were used. We recommend further research into more feasible patterns of psychotropic prescriptions, lowering the amount of medication use and considering their cost-benefits in the elderly with chronic schizophrenia
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Male , Psychotropic Drugs , Aged , PolypharmacyABSTRACT
The aim of this research is study of theta burst stimulation on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in remission of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. In a placebo, double blind and randomized study, 10 patients with schizophrenia assigned in experimental and control group. The experimental group received 20 sessions of TBS with 50 Hz frequency, but control group were treated just with sham coil. All the patients were appraised before, the 10th sessions and after the treatment. The treatment efficacy was calculated with ANOVA. The results indicated that the experimental group had statistical difference to control group in negative symptoms [p>0.007] and social functioning [p>0.01]. But there weren't any significant difference in quality of life and depression between two groups. Theta burst stimulation can be mentioned as an efficacious treatment for people with schizophrenia.