PSYCHO-EDUCATION

What is psycho-education Psycho-educationis an important component of any psychotherapy program as well as any visit you have to the CiAT. Psycho-education, as the name suggests, is education about a certain situation or condition that causes psychological stress. This is not necessarily psychotherapy as it does not exclusively deal with psychological or mental illness’ but rather any condition you or a relative or a friend is experiencing. For example breast cancer is not a mental illness however a person with breast cancer may feel anxious, disheartened and scared about their condition and therefore it is said that the cancer is bringing about psychological stressors. There are many ways to combat psychological stressors, one is learning about the condition. Once a person better understands a condition they feel more in control of the situation and this in turn reduces the stress associated with it. Psycho-education is usually implemented by a counselor or anybody who is an expert in the specific condition the individual is experiencing and who has experience in psychotherapies.  When Is Psycho-education Used? The list of conditions that benefit from psycho-education is endless. The rule of thumb is that every person will feel more relaxed and in control of their condition if they have a greater level of understanding. People who are educated about their condition are more likely to actively participate in their self-management and Relapse prevention. This brings about positive social and self-esteem changes which all add to the individual's self efficacy and the accompanying benefits from other psychotherapies and medications. Format Of Psycho-education Psycho-education can be implemented in a number of different formats and settings. The format depends entirely on the disorder, the developmental age of the individual and their individual needs. Psycho-educational can be group-based, family-based, parent-based or individually implemented. Psycho-education most commonly involves the individual with the disorder, the patient or client, but in some situations psycho-education is implemented only to the people who deal with the patient on a day to day basis such as family, friends, teachers or caretakers. Group psycho-education Group psycho-education can be very effective for a number of reasons. For starters, group situations are always less intimidating than a one on one session with the psychologist. People feel that they have the support of the group as well as the feeling they are “not alone” which decreases the amount of stress in the situation. Many people feel intimidated to ask questions or simply do not think of questions to ask. In a group situation the odds are that the majority of common questions will be dealt with predominantly through discussion. In a group situation you can share your experiences with others and share what techniques have been effective for you and others can share their experiences with you. This way everyone gains a perspective of how other people deal with their situations which adds to the overall learning experience. Group psycho-education can also be implemented in schools as a preventative measure. Educating children and adolescents in schools about relevant issues is commonly used as a preventative measure. Classroom education is also sometimes offered if a child in the school or class has a specific condition that may confuse the other children such as diabetes or epilepsy. Once the students understand the condition they are less likely to think of the child as different and will be more willing to help. This is called reducing the stigma associated with a condition. Individual Psycho-education Individual psycho-education can be more specific and focused and can cover information and content that is more relevant for an individual situation. If group situations tend to make you or your family feel anxious and threatened then individual psychotherapy with the safety and confidentiality of a one on one interaction with a therapist or doctor may be more suitable. Psycho-education for parents and family Education about a condition is relevant not only to the individual with the problem, but also the people who share their life. Therefore psycho-education programs for the whole family are commonly used; this can reduce stress at home and encourage better relationships between the family members. Psycho-education for friends and caretakers For many people with mental illness, especially adults, there is no family around to support them. Therefore psycho-education programs for friends and caretakers have also been developed. Structure Of Psycho-education The structure of psycho-education is determined by whether the program involves the individual with the disorder or only involves the family or peers. If you are participating in a psycho-education program you should expect that all the essential information about your condition will be covered as well as any extra information you require. The common topics that will be focused on are as follows: The stigma attached to your diagnosing Healthy lifestyle behaviours that will help to manage the condition. Stress management- why do need to manage our stress levels and how does high stress lead to the worsening of symptoms? Understanding self-esteem, self-image, self-efficacy Treatment- For many disorders adherence to medication is a very important factor in maintaining and managing the condition. Financial assistance that is available to aid you will be discussed. Throughout psycho-education a no-blame concept is presented throughout. Without the patient present When the individual with the condition (the patient) is not present, that is when only the family, peers or caregivers are attending the program; the main focus of the psycho-education is on how to manage while looking after the individual, understanding their situation and hardships, preventing any relapse and how to provide them with support. Remember that it is only when the patient is too young or cannot understand the information presented in psychotherapy that they would not be included in the program. Even if this is the case they should also be educated in very similar topics however these should be adapted to suit the developmental age of the individual so they can understand. The common topics that will be focused on are as follows: Understanding the nature of the illness- this includes information on the disorder as well as the psychological aspects involved. What is it like for the patient in terms of psychology and physiology? What are the realistic expectations that of the patient? The main symptom of the disorder as well as the identification of the disorder are discussed. For example a psycho-education program might be implemented for parents in order for them to learn how to identify the early signs of conduct problems or ADHD in their children. Identifying trigger If the people that care for the patient know how to identify the factors which trigger certain symptoms such as a maniac or depression episode, a psychotic episode, an epileptic fit and so on, they will be more able to prevent these events from occurring and therefore improving syptom of the client. Treatment- For many disorders adherence to medication is a very important factor in maintaining and managing the condition. If a patient is unable to adhere to a medication schedule alone then it is vital that the people who are responsible for them can. The information will answer questions about the medication that includes: What it does? How does it work? What are the benefits? What are the side effects? When and how often it must be taken? Why it is important to it at certain intervals? What happens when the medication is not taken? And so on. Another important aspect of treatment are the types of psychotherapies that are available and suitable to help the patient deal with the psychological effects of the condition and what is the cost, the effectiveness and the cost effectiveness of these psychotherapies? What to do in emergencies? Many conditions are associated with spontaneous risk therefore it is important for people to know what is the appropriate protocol when there is a psychological or psychological emergency? How can the emergency be best handled? The financial, legal and social support that is available for families, caretakers and schools to aid in caring and catering for the patient will also be discussed. Social Psycho-education Along with education about the psychological and psychological factors of your condition the therapist may also discuss the social factors. These include the influence of social stigma as well as social support and the importance of recognizing the social support you have, this is called social psycho-education. What Is Involved In Psycho-education? Psycho-education can take a various amount of sessions before it is complete, this depends on how well the concepts and learning outcomes are achieved. In order to maximize the efficiency of the program the psychologist will deliver the content that is most appropriate for their client or clients in an interesting way. Psycho-education should not be too hard to understand, nor should it go so slowly that it is boring. If you are finding the psycho-education is not appropriate for you or your family share this with your psychologist and perhaps they can change their content or teaching patterns. Psycho-education is rarely classroom-type teaching. It involes interactive learning such as role plays, reading, writing, DVDs and discussion. Effectiveness Like any psychotherapy the effectiveness of psycho-education depends entirely upon what you put into it. If you believe in the therapy and do your best to actively learn the material, by asking questions and engaging in the activities, psycho-education will benefit you. That said, psycho-education is not a stand alone treatment option. Although knowing about your condition is very important without the concurrent psychotherapy or medications your condition will not improve. Psycho-education is the basis for dealing and managing your condition, once you have that basis you are more likely to benefit from the advantages of other treatments as you will have more faith in them and you will have a higher sense of control over your situation. Education and knowledge feeds into self-efficacy which is essential in treatment for any problem.