Approaching chronic mental illness

Increasingly, we find ourselves with the need to explain, both in the clinical and forensic fields, what a long-term disease is, since about 40% of mental illnesses are chronic.

The characteristics of chronic mental illnesses

The (EMGD) are characterized because the symptoms are prolonged in the long term, impairing the ability to continue with significant activities and daily routines in people who suffer from it.

Many of the patients we treat ask us why they have a disease of this type. The answer is not simple, since the causes are multiple; that is, they are due to different biological, psychological and social factors. All of them imply alterations of the normal functioning, causing damage to the integrity of the patient.

The most common are the Bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, disorder schizophrenia and personality disorders, although there are other diseases that are also considered long-term, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or fibromyalgia.

How to detect a psychopathology of this type?

In general, patients who come to our health center are aware of some symptoms they suffer from and know how to recognize mood swings, anxiety or other symptoms.

Nevertheless, diagnosis in these cases is essential so that the patient understands what is the cause of this symptomatology and begins psychological treatment to manage and work on his pathology. When we communicate the diagnosis to them, they thank us, since they are aware at that moment of what they are facing and they stop feeling high anxiety due to the uncertainty that it caused them.

During the evaluation process we must bear in mind that patients can be diagnosed with more than one disease. It may imply an interaction between the two and, therefore, a worsening of the two disorders. This is what is defined as comorbidity or associated morbidity.

Some diseases such as depression and personality disorder can be associated with a dysthymia. Or, for example, the patient may suffer from an addiction associated with another mental illness. And you can even be diagnosed with bipolar disorder and hyperactivity disorder at the same time. In these situations, the diagnosis is more complicated, but it is necessary to adjust the psychological and pharmacological treatment.

How are they treated in therapy?

It should not be forgotten that the treatments that are recommended are various and complementary to each other.

Sometimes people think that pharmacology alone is enough; nevertheless, Psychological treatment is essential, since it helps us to work on awareness of the disease, how to identify and anticipate crises, how to eliminate or alleviate the symptoms, in short, or to be fully functional and autonomous as long as before. It is advisable to do it from a comprehensive health model, since each patient has a different personal development and will deal with the disease in a different way.

The effective thing is to work with the patient, the therapeutic method or the necessary practice that benefits him at that moment. These types of diseases not only affect patients, but also families; It is vital to count on them and spend the time they need.

The family must know the patient's disease, in order to learn to interpret inappropriate responses or non-adaptive actions. To achieve the different achievements of the treatment, expectations must be adjusted and work must be constant. Even on some occasions legal advice is necessary, since in schizophrenia or in some personality disorders it is necessary financial help, hospitalization or simply to protect the patient with the conservatorship.

Thanks to the two specialties that we work together at the center (health and forensic) we can support these patients from different areas. This has allowed us to control and protect the affected people and their families.

Follow-up is important, even if therapy has ended, since the disease is chronic and support is needed to maintain the changes achieved. In addition, relapse (which is part of psychological treatment) is common in chronic diseases.

The patient must know how to act to minimize the symptoms and recover as soon as possible. I would like to point out that, from my experience, although sometimes the disease does not fully remit, stabilization can be achieved and a good quality of life can be achieved.