BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND BIPOLAR DISORDER COMORBIDITY IN SUICIDAL PATIENTS: DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES

Suicidality is one of the great challenges in contemporary psychiatry. Suicidal patients are often misdiagnosed in clinical practice. It is very important to evaluate possible comorbidity in diagnostic assessment of suicidal patients. The high prevalence of comorbid bipolar (BD) and borderline personality disorders (BPD) presents both a diagnostic and a therapeutic challenge. Although the primary treatment for patients with BPD is psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy is a core component for the treatment of comorbid conditions such as bipolar disorder. Because of heterogeneity of the BPD, pharmacologic treatment has evolved to some particular dimensions of BPD rather than the disorder in its entirety. The dimensions include affective instability, impulsive aggression and identity disturbance. Effective medication management reduces the overall suffering of the patient and enables to make greater use of psychotherapeutic interventions which is very important for BPD patients with BD comorbidity

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND BIPOLAR DISORDER COMORBIDITY IN SUICIDAL PATIENTS: DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES

Suicidality is one of the great challenges in contemporary psychiatry. Suicidal patients are often misdiagnosed in clinical practice. It is very important to evaluate possible comorbidity in diagnostic assessment of suicidal patients. The high prevalence of comorbid bipolar (BD) and borderline personality disorders (BPD) presents both a diagnostic and a therapeutic challenge. Although the primary treatment for patients with BPD is psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy is a core component for the treatment of comorbid conditions such as bipolar disorder. Because of heterogeneity of the BPD, pharmacologic treatment has evolved to some particular dimensions of BPD rather than the disorder in its entirety. The dimensions include affective instability, impulsive aggression and identity disturbance. Effective medication management reduces the overall suffering of the patient and enables to make greater use of psychotherapeutic interventions which is very important for BPD patients with BD comorbidity

Induced Abortion and It’s Moral and Psychological Implications

Inducirani pobačaj tema je koja izaziva brojne nesuglasice u današnjem društvu te je zbog ideološke obojenosti ovog fenomena teško doći do jasnih podataka o učinku pobačaja na psihičko zdravlje žene. U prvome poglavlju članka donosimo osnovne podatke o pobačaju zajedno s najvažnijim statističkim podatcima. U drugome poglavlju predstavljamo bioetičke aspekte vezane uz pobačaj, dok u trećem poglavlju donosimo pregled istraživanja koja su se bavila pitanjem psihičkih posljedica pobačaja na ženu te donosimo sažet prikaz triju slučajeva iz kliničke prakse. Premda većina istraživanja odbacuje govor o postabortivnom sindromu kao zasebnom entitetu, rezultati istraživanja i iskustva iz kliničke i pastoralne prakse upućuju na postojanje dugoročnih psihičkih problema kod dijela žena koje čine pobačaj. Važno je obratiti pozornost na ove žene u pastoralnom djelovanju te im pružiti adekvatnu skrb.Induced abortion is a topic that causes numerous disagreements in today’s society, and due to the ideological bias related to this phenomenon, it is difficult to obtain clear data on the effect of abortion on women’s mental health. In the first chapter of this article, we provide basic data on abortion together with the most important statistics. In the second chapter we present the bioethical aspects related to abortion, while in the third chapter we provide an overview of research that has addressed the psychological consequences of abortion on women and provide a summary of three cases from clinical practice. Although most research rejects the talk of post-abortion syndrome as a separate entity, research results and experiences from clinical and pastoral practice suggest the existence of long-term psychological problems in some women who have abortions. It is important to pay attention to these women in pastoral work and provide them with adequate care

Induced Abortion and It’s Moral and Psychological Implications

Inducirani pobačaj tema je koja izaziva brojne nesuglasice u današnjem društvu te je zbog ideološke obojenosti ovog fenomena teško doći do jasnih podataka o učinku pobačaja na psihičko zdravlje žene. U prvome poglavlju članka donosimo osnovne podatke o pobačaju zajedno s najvažnijim statističkim podatcima. U drugome poglavlju predstavljamo bioetičke aspekte vezane uz pobačaj, dok u trećem poglavlju donosimo pregled istraživanja koja su se bavila pitanjem psihičkih posljedica pobačaja na ženu te donosimo sažet prikaz triju slučajeva iz kliničke prakse. Premda većina istraživanja odbacuje govor o postabortivnom sindromu kao zasebnom entitetu, rezultati istraživanja i iskustva iz kliničke i pastoralne prakse upućuju na postojanje dugoročnih psihičkih problema kod dijela žena koje čine pobačaj. Važno je obratiti pozornost na ove žene u pastoralnom djelovanju te im pružiti adekvatnu skrb.Induced abortion is a topic that causes numerous disagreements in today’s society, and due to the ideological bias related to this phenomenon, it is difficult to obtain clear data on the effect of abortion on women’s mental health. In the first chapter of this article, we provide basic data on abortion together with the most important statistics. In the second chapter we present the bioethical aspects related to abortion, while in the third chapter we provide an overview of research that has addressed the psychological consequences of abortion on women and provide a summary of three cases from clinical practice. Although most research rejects the talk of post-abortion syndrome as a separate entity, research results and experiences from clinical and pastoral practice suggest the existence of long-term psychological problems in some women who have abortions. It is important to pay attention to these women in pastoral work and provide them with adequate care

THE ROLE OF RELIGIOSITY IN COPING WITH INFERTILITY TREATMENT

Background: To analyze relationship between religiosity and psychological distress in woman undergoing in vitro fertilization. Subjects and methods: The study was based on 103 woman engaged in a fertility treatment with in vitro fertilization. The questionnaires (Religiosity Questionnaire, Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure, and socio-demographic questionnaire) were administered by investigators. Results: The results suggest that the level of religiosity significantly differs participants in terms of problems (F=1.92, p=0.01), functioning (F=1.79, p=0.03), risk behaviors (F=3.02, p=0.00), anxiety (F=1.72, p=0.03) and physical problems (F=1.82, p=0.02). There were no significant differences in subjective wellbeing, depression and traumatization according to religiosity. Conclusion: Results of a present study point out that religiosity could be considered as a protective factor for psychological distress

THE ROLE OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE (DHEA) IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Neurosteroid dehydropiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate (DHEAS) are reported to have modulatory effects on neuronal excitabillity and synaptic plasticity. DHEA and DHEAS are synthesized in central and peripheral nervous system from cholesterol or steroidal precursors imported from peripheral sources. There is accumulating evidence that alterations in DHEA(S) levels may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The possible effects of DHEA(S) as augmentation therapy in schizophrenia, related to psychological and somatic aspects of this disease, are discussed

THE COMORBIDITY OF BIPOLAR DISORDER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES FROM PHARMACOTHERAPY PERSPECTIVE

The heart and mind are intimately linked. Patients with severe mental disorders have increased mortality rates compared with the general population and the leading cause of premature death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite their high prevalence and substantial medical impact, comorbidity between cardiac conditions and psychiatric illnesses frequently go undiagnosed and untreated. It is very interesting to investigate the impact of mental health on cardiac disease and what is the complex underlying mechanism that links theese two conditions

THE COMORBIDITY OF BIPOLAR DISORDER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES FROM PHARMACOTHERAPY PERSPECTIVE

The heart and mind are intimately linked. Patients with severe mental disorders have increased mortality rates compared with the general population and the leading cause of premature death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite their high prevalence and substantial medical impact, comorbidity between cardiac conditions and psychiatric illnesses frequently go undiagnosed and untreated. It is very interesting to investigate the impact of mental health on cardiac disease and what is the complex underlying mechanism that links theese two conditions