[The situation of caregivers of inpatients with bipolar affective disorders]

Research on the situation of caregivers of patients with bipolar affective disorders has been mostly neglected in German-speaking countries.

In the sense of a bottom-up approach, a content analysis of problem-oriented interviews with 32 caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder was carried out. Additionally, the relevant literature identified by means of a computerized MEDLINE research on the years 1997 - 2007 with the key words "caregiver"/"relative", "burden" and "bipolar disorder", was analysed to describe the situation of the caregivers comprehensively. Related articles in the MEDLINE search were also viewed.

The burden of relatives of bipolar patients are manifold and partially specific. On the top of the list caregivers mentioned emotional burdens like: "lack of understanding, helplessness and hopelessness" (90,6 %) and "own concernment" (81,2 %). Specific burdens of these caregivers are "repulsing and uncooperative behaviour of the patient" (78,1 %) and "burdens due to the alternation between manic and depressive symptoms" (71,9 %). The manic and depressive symptomatic complex were assessed as burden with equal frequency (75,0 %).

An effective support should consider the necessity of helping the caregivers in handling the symptoms of the illness and imparting coping strategies for emotional relief of caregivers.