Therapeutic alliance important to help people at risk of suicide

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Charlotte Huggett summarises a naturalistic outpatient study which explores the impact that therapeutic alliance and negative responses from clinicians can have on suicidal ideation in people in therapy.

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Psychodynamic programmes for personality disorders: residential versus community treatment

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Keir Harding explores a recent study of community-based, step-down, and residential specialist psychodynamic programmes for personality disorders, which includes some surprising findings.

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CBT for substance misuse in young people

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Eleanor Kennedy summarises a Campbell systematic review of CBT for substance misuse in young people in outpatient treatment, which is inconclusive in terms of CBT being more or less effective than other therapies.

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It’s not what you say: Examining the non-verbal behaviours of psychiatrists and patients

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Chris Pell considers the findings of a recent observational study of non-verbal behaviour and communication in meetings of psychiatrists and patients with schizophrenia.

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Acamprosate and oral naltrexone may improve consumption related outcomes for people with alcohol use disorders

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A new systematic review suggests that, when used alongside psychosocial interventions, medication can result in better alcohol consumption outcomes for people with drinking problems.

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Is there ‘parity of esteem’ in shared decision making between physical and mental health?

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Current health and social care policies determine that people who use services should have choice and control over their care and support. This is particularly important for people with mental health problems who are managing their mental health and designing support in preventative ways to avoid crisis. One way for mental health service practitioners to [read the full story…]

Focal psychodynamic therapy or CBT vs optimised treatment as usual in outpatients with anorexia

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Anorexia nervosa has long been known to have a poor prognosis and few effective treatments are available (Kaplan and Garfinkel, 1999). Research in this area is limited, particularly in regards to evidence-based guidance.  The NICE eating disorders guidance (2004) is in need of an update, although there is a more recently produced care pathway. Other [read the full story…]

Treatment of bipolar in specialised outpatient mood disorder clinics substantially reduces readmissions to psychiatric hospitals

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There is a limited amount of good quality research being published about bipolar disorder, particularly investigating the early stages. Bipolar is associated with a high risk of relapse and this risk of relapse increases with the number of previous episodes. Observational studies suggest that early intervention may improve both course and outcome, but currently progression [read the full story…]

Many psychiatric patients experience domestic violence, but more research is needed

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The links between domestic violence and mental health are well documented. Research shows that people who are suffering from mental health problems may be more vulnerable to domestic violence. Studies also suggest that domestic violence may increase the risk of mental illness and that continued violence may lead to more persistent ill health. However, we [read the full story…]