Differences in self-compassion and shame-proneness in patients with borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, alcohol-addiction and in healthy controls: Is the narrative self at fault for everything?

Objectives: The lack of self-compassion and shame-proneness may both be associated with a wide range of mental disorders. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of compassionate self-responding and shame-proneness in samples of patients with borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, alcohol-addiction and in healthy controls.Methods: All three clinical groups and healthy controls were administered scales measuring self-compassion (SCS) and shame-proneness (TOSCA-3S). Differences in compassionate self-responding and shame-proneness were analyzed and effect sizes were calculated.Results: All three clinical groups were found to have significantly lower compassionate self-responding and significantly higher shame-proneness than healthy controls. The magnitudes of difference in compassionate self-responding and shame-proneness, between all clinical groups and healthy controls, were moderate to large.Conclusions: We hypothesize, that implicit belief in self as a permanent entity together with the lack of self-compassion leads to increased shame-proneness, which causes various psychopathological symptoms. We assume, that clients suffering from all these disorders may benefit from treatments or particular interventions that facilitate the development of self-compassion or shame management.

Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention

The Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention is a comprehensive resource covering all aspects of suicidal behaviour and suicide prevention from a number of different perspectives, including its underlying religious and cultural factors; its political, social and economic causes; its psychiatric and somatic determinants; and its public health impacts. The new edition includes several new clinically focussed chapters devoted to major psychiatric disorders and their relation to suicide, including mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, psychosis/schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and personality disorders. It also includes a fully updated section on psychometric scales used for measuring suicidal behaviour and instruments used in suicide preventative interventions as well as descriptions of suicide preventive methods in schools as suicide is the second leading, and in some countries first, cause of death for young people.

Electroretinography in psychiatry: A systematic literature review

This review aims to consolidate the available information on use of electroretinography as a diagnostic tool in psychiatry. The electroretinogram (ERG) has been found to have diagnostic utility in cocaine withdrawal (reduced light-adapted b-wave response), major depressive disorder (reduced contrast gain in pattern ERG), and schizophrenia (reduced a- and b-wave amplitudes). This review examines these findings as well as the applicability of ERG to substance use disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder, panic disorder, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and medication use. While there have been promising results, current research suffers from a lack of specificity. Further research that quantifies anomalies in ERG present in psychiatric illness is needed.

Eating Disorder Recovery: A Metaethnography

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders seriously affect both physical health and psychosocial functioning. Breaking the confines of an eating disorder requires engagement in a multifaceted recovery process. OBJECTIVE: This article provides a synthesis of 12 qualitative research studies with various eating disordered populations (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, eating disorder not otherwise specified, and other specified feeding and eating disorders) to elucidate the recovery process from the perspective of those who have overcome the disease. METHOD: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies was conducted using Noblit and Hare’s metaethnographic methodology. RESULTS: Five overarching themes emerged from the data: (1) the eating disorder as a life jacket, (2) drowning: recognizing consequences, (3) treading the surface: contemplating recovery, (4) swimming: the path toward recovery, and (5) reaching recovery: a sense of freedom. CONCLUSIONS: Eating disorder treatment often entails a cycle of transitions before recovery occurs. Synthesizing the experiences from the perspective of individuals who have overcome an eating disorder presents a unique understanding of the treatment and recovery process.

The Guide to Interpersonal Psychotherapy

This book is the definitive and most up-to-date guide to the elements and adaptations of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and has been written by its developers and trainers. Researchers who want to adopt or test this evidence-based psychotherapy treatment or clinicians who want to include it in their practice can use this book as their foundation. While the procedures are presented for adult depression, many adaptations to different populations and settings are discussed: for pregnancy and the postpartum period, adolescents, the elderly, medical patients, and patients with dysthymia, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, eating disorders, anxiety disorder, trauma, and borderline personality disorder. Throughout, the same four problem areas are used: grief, role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits (social isolation). A chapter on cross-cultural adaptations is provided. New formats, training, and research are described. Case examples are included throughout the book to illustrate the methods.

Psychiatry

This chapter focuses on some of the most influential clinical trials in psychiatry, spanning from studies on electroconvulsive therapy in the 1980s to trials in collaborative care in the present day. Trials covered focus on common psychiatric and related conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, panic disorder, eating disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.