The affective disorder-related burden imposed on the family environment: an overview

Abstract

The family burden (FB) has been defined as a multidimensional impact imposed by an illness on caregivers. FB can be divided into objective (i.e. related to measurable problems) and subjective one (i.e. related to caregivers' emotions arising in response to objective difficulties). FB is known to be related to disturbances in the functioning of the family system, higher level of stress, and the presence of financial problems. Some gender-dependent differences in the characteristics of FB have been found. As Since a family member's illness can be not only a ballast, but also a potential source of satisfaction, it has been found that the level of caregiving-related satisfaction is a significant predictor of FB severity. FB dynamics does not seem to be parallel to the course of illness. Problem-focused and task-focused coping strategies are known to be related to lower values of FB. There is evidence suggesting that in families of patients with BD depressive episodes trigger substantially higher severity of FB, as compared to manic episodes. Data on FB related to major depressive disorder (MDD) are scarce. Assertive community treatment strategies are the main option of reducing FB in the context of affective disorders, yet data on their effectiveness are inconclusive.

Coping strategies and adherence in people with mood disorder: a cross-sectional study

“…Similar results were obtained by Borowiecka-Karpiuk et al. in their study of people with depressive disorders or bipolar disorder, the dominant stress coping style was focused on emotions ( 34 ). McWilliams et al.…”

Emotional journey of wives of spouses diagnosed with bipolar I disorder: moving from vicissitude towards reconciliation

“…Side by side, the disorder poses way more challenges for the spouse. In case of patients with affective disorders the spouses experiences severe burden due to the chronicity, episodic nature of the illness and the resulting uncertainty created by intermittent dysfunctionality experienced as a result of being symptomatic, whether it's a manic or depressive episode (Borowiecka-Kluza et al, 2013;Chakrabarti et al, 1992;Perlick et al, 1999). Although there is an abundance of literature that addresses issues associated with family members of persons with severe mental illness, the literature concerning the effect of bipolar disorder on their spouses is extremely limited (Lam et al, 2005).…”

Mental rotation task in bipolar disorder

“…The most significant changes observed in the course of these episodes in neuroimaging studies include changes in the volume and function of areas such as the prefrontal cortex [4], basal ganglia (e.g., caudate nucleus) [5] and the cerebellum [6]. They increase with the duration of the illness [7] and lead to impairment of cognitive and motor function [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”