Psychoeducation in Bipolar Disorder

Psychoeducation is defined as a structured and systemic therapy that emphasizes on diseases and their corresponding treatment. Psychoeducation has educational and psychosocial objectives and involves training methods since using both techniques and method is redundant. Psychoeducation for patients with bipolar disorder focuses on informing about the disease and its treatment, evaluating attitude toward the illness and treatment compliance, improving of symptoms and social and occupational functioning, upgrading the quality of life, reducing suicide risk and duration and number of hospitalization, preventing depressive and hypo (mania) attack, and considering the contribution of the family. Psychoeducation can be applied to a group or an individual in combination with other treatments. Psychoeducation for patients with bipolar disorder is required to prevent learning disorders and distractions administered to euthymic patients. Psychiatric nurses play an important role in the preparation and implementation of easy-to-apply cost-effective psychoeducation programs to meet the needs of patients and their families.