Using pharmacotherapy with other therapies to treat psychotic disorders

Pharmacotherapy is a common method of treating patients who are suffering from mental health disorders such as depression and psychotic disorders. However, it can be slow to take effect, which is why it is not considered an absolute treatment approach. This is also why psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatrists use numerous interventions that can hasten the patient’s recovery rate.

Psychiatric nurses need to understand that pharmacotherapy is not the only solution for addressing mental health conditions. Introducing other therapies, such as psychotherapy or electroconvulsive therapy, can help a psychiatric nurse create customized plans that are unique to each patient’s circumstances.

Many people wonder about the differences between a psychiatric nurse practitioner vs psychiatrist when considering their career. While the two jobs may appear similar, there are some important differences. Spring Arbor University not only details the differences in these professions on their blog, but also offer an excellent post-master’s certificate in psychiatric mental health nursing. To be effective in either field, you need to be familiar with psychotic disorders.

What are psychotic disorders?

According to the World Health Organization, mental disorders involve significant disturbances in thinking, emotional regulation or behavior. Psychotic disorders can be defined as a group of mental illnesses that disrupts the patient’s mind and causes them to lose touch with reality. Symptoms of psychotic disorders include delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking, among others. These disorders are treated and managed by a nurse practitioner and psychiatrist.

When these symptoms are severe, psychotic disorders can make the patient’s life difficult. It may be challenging for them to carry out day-to-day activities or even maintain relationships.

Psychotic disorders can be caused by numerous factors, including genetics, chemical imbalances and environmental factors. An increase in chemicals produced by the brain, especially dopamine, can lead to delusions, disorganized thinking and hallucinations. Environmental factors such as substance abuse, childhood trauma and even social isolation can also put an individual at risk of having psychotic disorders.

Categories of psychotic disorders

Here is a look at some of the most common categories of psychotic disorders.

Schizophrenia

The exact cause of schizophrenia remains unknown. It is characterized by symptoms such as delusions, disorganized speech and behavior, hallucinations and emotional flatness. It can also manifest in an individual’s lack of motivation to work. Schizophrenia negatively impacts a person’s ability to function well, which can lead to a loss of interest in things they once enjoyed or a general loss of interest in life itself.

Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is characterized by experiencing the symptoms of schizophrenia and mood disorders, like depression, at the same time. “Schizo” refers to the psychotic symptoms of schizoaffective disorder that affect how a person behaves, thinks or expresses emotions. “Affective”, on the other hand, refers to the mood-related symptoms of schizoaffective disorder that cause severe changes in a person’s mood or energy.

Treatments for schizoaffective disorder may include medication and therapy to help patients overcome depression. These treatments may also be effective for other mood-related disorders, such as hypomania and bipolar disorder.

Delusional disorder

Delusional disorder, previously known as paranoid disorder, is a type of psychotic disorder in which a person cannot differentiate what is real from their imagination. A major symptom of this psychotic disorder is delusions. This means that the patient has a strong and unshakable belief in something that is not based on reality. Delusions can include feelings of being followed, deceived or even poisoned. These situations are often overly exaggerated or have no basis in truth whatsoever.

Brief psychotic disorder

Brief psychotic disorder is a type of mental illness that is similar to schizophrenia. It is a sudden and short-term episode of psychotic disorder that lasts less than a month. This is followed by a period of recuperation, although there might be potential cases of future relapses. The symptoms of brief psychotic disorder include hallucinations, paranoia or delusions, and it is often triggered by extreme stress, loss of a loved one or a traumatic accident.

Substance-induced psychotic disorder

A substance-induced psychotic disorder is a type of mental health condition where the beginning of the patient’s illness can be traced to starting or stopping a drug. Symptoms of substance-induced disorder can be displayed as hallucinations, the feeling of being trapped in fantasy and paranoia.

Substance-induced psychotic disorder can be managed by encouraging the patient to stop abusing the drug causing it. The therapist should also ensure that the underlying mental health issues that led to drug use are addressed to avoid critical mental health challenges.

Four ways pharmacotherapy can be used with other therapies

Pharmacotherapy, also known as drug therapy, is one of the most popular methods used by psychiatric nurses to address psychotic disorders. However, using pharmacotherapy in conjunction with other therapies helps provide more comprehensive care to patients. This can help to speed up their recovery rate and giving nurses more time to focus on other patients.

Here are a few ways in which pharmacotherapy can be used with other therapies in psychiatric nursing:

With psychotherapy

Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is one of the most popular combinations of therapies in psychiatric nursing. Psychotherapy involves exploring the thoughts, feelings and behavior of your patients.

Combining pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy helps patients better understand their condition and how their medication is working to manage it. For example, a patient with chronic depression may be given antidepressants to suppress their symptoms while undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy, alongside other therapeutic techniques that can help manage their triggers.

With electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a therapy that involves passing electric currents through the brain to induce seizures that can help manage a mental condition. It is mostly used to treat chronic cases of depression or mental health conditions that have not responded to other treatments.

Combining ECT with pharmacotherapy can help patients achieve faster relief from symptoms than medication alone. For example, a person with chronic depression might be given antidepressants that take some time to work. Combining ECT with the use of antidepressants can provide more immediate relief.

Other nursing interventions

In combination with pharmacotherapy, psychiatric nurses may use other nursing interventions to manage their patients’ conditions. These nursing interventions may include patient education, behavioral intervention, family therapy or group therapy.

Patient information is another form of treatment that involves providing patients with necessary information about their medications, such as dosage, side effects and potential interactions with other medications.

Behavioral intervention, another nursing intervention for patients suffering from psychotic disorders, involves a range of cognitive therapy, mindfulness meditation and relaxation techniques. These can help patients manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Family therapy, another treatment approach, involves a psychiatric nurse working with the patient’s family to provide support. Group therapy, on the other hand, involves allowing the patient to participate in therapy sessions with other patients who are dealing with similar mental conditions. This helps them learn from other people’s experiences.

Non-medical interventions

Pharmacotherapy can also be combined with some non-medical interventions to manage mental disorders. These non-medical interventions can be lifestyle changes or complementary therapies. For example, while bipolar patients may use medications to manage their symptoms, they can also benefit from a wide range of lifestyle changes such as changes to their diet or exercise routine. Complementary therapies such as mindfulness meditation can help patients manage stress and anxiety.

The bottom line

It is important to keep in mind that pharmacotherapy is not an independent solution when it comes to mental health disorders. Combining it with other forms of therapy or interventions will help psychiatric nurse practitioners provide comprehensive care to their patients that addresses their physical, emotional and mental needs.