[Psychosocial Care For Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Narrative Review].

[Psychosocial Care For Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Narrative Review].
Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 2019 Feb 07;:
Authors: Esser P, Metelmann M, Hartung T, Claßen J, Mehnert A, Koranyi S
Abstract
This narrative review gives a broad summary of the psychosocial strain in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and psychotherapeutic interventions addressing these issues. ALS is a fatal, rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease, which leads to weakness and atrophy in almost all muscles of the body, resulting in impairment and finally inability in all domains of daily life including mobility, food intake, respiration or communication. In addition to these mainly motor impairments, most patients are also affected by severe cognitive-emotional and behavioral alterations and deficits which may lead to additional distress. Due to the severe symptomatology and poor diagnosis, ALS can lead to significant psychosocial strain including heightened levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology, hopelessness and even the wish for hastened death. A large body of research demonstrates the strong effect of psychosocial aspects on quality of life (QoL) in ALS patients. Nevertheless, research on psychotherapeutic interventions for patients with ALS is very sparse to date. Besides the general lack of interventions and the methodological limitations in testing their efficacy, few of these therapeutic concepts incorp...

Source: PPmP Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie - February 10, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Tags: Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol Source Type: research