Changes in Treatment Content of Services During Trauma-informed Integrated Services for Women with Co-occurring Disorders

The experience of trauma is highly prevalent in the lives of women with mental health and substance abuse problems. We examined how an intervention targeted to provide trauma-informed integrated services in the treatment of co-occurring disorders has changed the content of services reported by clients. We found that the intervention led to an increased provision of integrated services as well as services addressing each content area: trauma, mental health and substance abuse. There was no increase in service quantity from the intervention. Incorporation of trauma-specific element in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse may have been successfully implemented at the service level thereby better serve women with complex behavioral health histories

EEG Biofeedback as a Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Review, Rating of Efficacy, and Recommendations for Further Research

Electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback has been employed in substance use disorder (SUD) over the last three decades. The SUD is a complex series of disorders with frequent comorbidities and EEG abnormalities of several types. EEG biofeedback has been employed in conjunction with other therapies and may be useful in enhancing certain outcomes of therapy. Based on published clinical studies and employing efficacy criteria adapted by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, alpha theta training—either alone for alcoholism or in combination with beta training for stimulant and mixed substance abuse and combined with residential treatment programs, is probably efficacious. Considerations of further research design taking these factors into account are discussed and descriptions of contemporary research are given

The emerging modern face of mood disorders: a didactic editorial with a detailed presentation of data and definitions

The present work represents a detailed description of our current understanding and knowledge of the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis and clinical manifestations of mood disorders, their comorbidity and overlap, and the effect of variables such as gender and age. This review article is largely based on the 'Mood disorders' chapter of the Wikibooks Textbook of Psychiatry http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Textbook_of_Psychiatry/Mood_Disorders

Examining potential contraindications for prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD

Contains fulltext : 126430.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Although prolonged exposure (PE) has received the most empirical support of any treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), clinicians are often hesitant to use PE due to beliefs that it is contraindicated for many patients with PTSD. This is especially true for PTSD patients with comorbid problems. Because PTSD has high rates of comorbidity, it is important to consider whether PE is indeed contraindicated for patients with various comorbid problems. Therefore, in this study, we examine the evidence for or against the use of PE with patients with problems that often co-occur with PTSD, including dissociation, borderline personality disorder, psychosis, suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self-injury, substance use disorders, and major depression. It is concluded that PE can be safely and effectively used with patients with these comorbidities, and is often associated with a decrease in PTSD as well as the comorbid problem. In cases with severe comorbidity, however, it is recommended to treat PTSD with PE while providing integrated or concurrent treatment to monitor and address the comorbid problems