Self-stigma and functioning in patients with bipolar disorder

摘要

Self-stigma of people with bipolar disorder is an underestimated problem, with serious consequences in terms of clinical severity and social and professional functioning. Objectives. - This study aimed to evaluate self-stigma in patients with bipolar disorder, to identify socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with it and to analyze the links between self-stigma and functioning in this population. Methods. - We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytic study including 61 patients with bipolar disorder meeting criteria of remission. We used the internalized stigma of mental illness (ISMI) to investigate self-stigma, and the functioning assessment short test (FAST) to assess functioning. Results. - The mean age of patients was 43.4 years. The sex ratio was 2.4. Half of the patients were single or divorced (50 ). They had secondary or university education in 69 of cases and were professionally inactive in 59 of cases. The socioeconomic level was low or medium in 92 of cases. A personal judicial record was found in 16 of patients, a suicide attempt in 41 of cases. Most patients in our series had bipolar I disorder (92 ). The mean age at onset of the disease was 23.5 years, with a mean duration of disease progression of 20 years. Patients were hospitalized an average of 5.9 times. Most patients (90 ) exhibited psychotic features during their mood relapses. The mean duration of the last remission was 27.9 months. Patients had regular follow-ups at our consultations in 87 of cases.