Integrated Group Therapy-Slides

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In this presentation, Dr. Roger Weiss discusses the high rates of co-occurring substance use disorders (SUDs) and other psychiatric disorders. He highlights the general principles of psychosocial treatment for co-occurring disorders and focuses specifically on Integrated Group Therapy (IGT) for patients with SUD, bipolar, or other mood disorders.<br /><br />Dr. Weiss explains that SUDs are prevalent in patients with psychiatric illnesses due to factors such as enhanced reinforcement, mood change, escape, hopelessness, and poor judgment. The treatment for patients with co-occurring SUD and bipolar disorder typically involves pharmacotherapy and psychosocial treatment. Medication choice is usually based on factors such as side effect profile, family history, and likelihood of adherence.<br /><br />The Integrated Group Therapy (IGT) approach is a cognitive-behavioral model that emphasizes the parallels between the two disorders and the interaction between them. It views patients as having a single disorder, "bipolar substance use disorder," and focuses on addressing triggers, medication adherence, and developing coping strategies without using alcohol or drugs. IGT has been shown to be effective in achieving abstinence and improving mood outcomes in patients with co-occurring SUD and bipolar disorder.<br /><br />To make IGT more accessible in community treatment programs, a "community-friendly" version with 12 sessions, led by counselors without formal cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or bipolar disorder knowledge, was developed. This version also showed positive outcomes in terms of abstinence and mood improvement.<br /><br />Dr. Weiss highlights the importance of conducting regular check-ins to assess substance use, mood, and medication adherence. He also discusses the adaptations of IGT for different settings and populations, such as those with psychotic illness, and its use in various clinical, research, and correctional settings worldwide.<br /><br />Overall, Integrated Group Therapy has been validated as an effective treatment approach for patients with co-occurring SUD and bipolar or other mood disorders, and has the potential to be widely implemented in different healthcare settings.

Keywords

co-occurring substance use disorders

psychiatric disorders

psychosocial treatment

Integrated Group Therapy

SUD

bipolar disorder

mood disorders

pharmacotherapy

cognitive-behavioral model

abstinence

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