Adult Psychiatry Innovations in 2023

Nausica Germeau, Peter Stärkel, Catherine Bataille de Longprey, Carmen Mallard, Samia Karaki, Jacqueline Petit, Philippe de Timary, Avigaëlle Amory, Achille Bapolisi, Laurence Ayache, Denis Chaidron, Francesca Vellozi, Jamal Ziane, Francesca Melas et al Published in the journal : February 2024 Category : Psychiatrie adulte

In this section on psychiatric innovations, we will be presenting two important aspects of what is currently happening in adult psychiatry: firstly, the creation of the Integrated Psychiatry Institute, a real plus for UCLouvain psychiatry, which combines the skills developed by Sanatia, the psychiatric hub of the ASBL Valisana, and the Adult Psychiatry Department of the Cliniques Saint-Luc, which we will outline in a first article.

In a second article, we will describe the virtues of the split-hospitalization model. Psychiatric care does not rely solely on pharmacological or psychotherapeutic approaches. Our proposal here aims to ensure that the suggested hospital setting, and more specifically the idea of inviting patients to return home during stays designed to be shorter, helps to counteract the risks of chronicity and allow patients to be back in charge of their own lives and care. Such a model has existed for 20 years in the field of alcohol use disorders. We are implementing a similar model for mood disorders as part of the Integrated Psychiatry Institute, being set up on the Woluwé site.

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Impact of visual impairment on the occurrence of posttraumatic and psychotic symptoms following aggression

Valentin Coutant1, Sylvain Dal2 Published in the journal : July 2022 Category : Psychiatrie adulte

Based on a clinical case description and associated literature review, this article sought to investigate the multidirectional interactions between trauma, psychosis, and visual impairment.

Trauma and psychosis have been mostly described separately, though they share mutually-reinforcing interactions. Visual impairment alters the perception of the world. As a result, visual deficiency modifies the expression of psychiatric symptoms and promotes the risk of developing psychotic symptoms. In some cases of severe traumatisation, psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions have been reported to occur outside of the schizophrenia spectrum. This is referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Secondary Psychosis (PTSD-SP).

The diagnosis of this condition is paramount in view of the treatment that must be administered to the patient. Emphasis should first and foremost be placed on treating trauma rather than on exclusively reducing psychotic symptoms.

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