ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Because psychostimulant intoxication can lead to serious health risks for the patient, it is often necessary to ensure that the patient receives both adequate medical surveillance and rapid tranquillisation.
AIM: To find out whether there is scientific evidence that psychopharmacological intervention helps patients with psychostimulant intoxication to manage aggression and agitation.
METHOD: We searched the literature systematically.
RESULTS: Our study showed that intravenous droperidol worked faster and was more effective than intravenous lorazepam in inducing sedation in patients intoxicated with psychostimulants. In other studies the number of patients intoxicated with psychostimulants was too small or the patient population was not described in sufficient detail for any meaningful conclusions to be drawn.
CONCLUSION: So far, research has been so limited that it has not yet provided convincing evidence about the best medication to use in the treatment of aggressive patients intoxicated with psychostimulants.
Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Psychomotor Agitation/drug therapy , Psychotic Disorders/drug therapy , Aggression/drug effects , Droperidol/therapeutic use , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recent research indicates that different couple and family interventions are effective in the treatment of depressed patients. However, how these psychosocial interventions work, has been less well investigated. In order to better understand the underlying treatment processes, helpful treatment experiences of depressive patients and their partners were examined in a multi-family therapy group. METHOD: 24 patients hospitalized for depression and 20 partners participated in this study. Therapeutic factors were assessed using an open-ended questionnaire. Responses were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA). RESULTS: Eight recurring therapeutic factors were reported by both the patients and their partners: (1) Presence of others, (2) cohesion and understanding, (3) self-disclosure, (4) openness, (5) discussion, (6) insights, (7) observational experiences and (8) guidance from the therapist. LIMITATIONS: Results were not fed back to the participants following analysis and only therapeutic factors that operate on a conscious level could be identified. CONCLUSIONS: Several important therapeutic factors were identified in multi-family therapy groups for depression. These factors help to gain understanding into the processes, which should be emphasized in treatment and ought to be explored in future outcome and process research.
Subject(s)
Family Therapy , Psychotherapeutic Processes , Adult , Communication , Depression , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/therapy , Depressive Disorder, Major , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Self Disclosure , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The recognition of the distressing character of infertility diagnosis and treatment has led to the development of several psychosocial interventions for infertile couples. At the Leuven University Fertility Centre, a body-mind marital group intervention was developed to help infertile couples cope with the distress related to infertility. METHODS AND RESULTS: This treatment programme was originally adapted from a mind-body approach, but integrated concepts and techniques from body-oriented therapy, art therapy and multi-family group therapy. In this paper, the therapeutic foundations, treatment goals and practical implications of the mind-body marital group intervention are outlined. Further, the treatment procedure is explained in detail and illustrated by clinical vignettes. CONCLUSIONS: Although the first clinical impressions about the usefulness of the body-mind group programme in fertility clinics seem promising, further research is needed to assess its effectiveness.
