Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND: Vestre Viken Hospital Trust provides basal exposure therapy to inpatients with complex mental disorders and low level of functioning. This therapy provides help to those who wish to become drug-free. The key element of this therapy involves exposure to unwanted internal experiences, referred to as existential catastrophe anxiety. We examined the patients’ psychosocial functioning at least two years after completion of the inpatient therapy.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: Data were available for 33 of 36 discharged patients. We registered their use of psychotropic drugs, level of symptoms and functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning, GAF), level of education and ability to work and live at home unaided at the time of admission and the time of follow-up, as well as admissions during the year preceding the admission and follow-up. The degree of exposure was scored upon discharge.
RESULTS: At the time of follow-up (at 5.3 years on average), altogether 16 persons were drug-free, while 17 were still using psychotropic drugs. The average GAF score in the drug-free group was approximately 65, equivalent to mild symptoms and moderate social challenges. In the group that used psychotropic drugs, the average GAF score was approximately 41, which is indicative of serious problems and need for therapy. Four of the drug-free patients and 13 of the psychotropic drug users had been readmitted during the year preceding the follow-up, and nine patients and one patient respectively were employed in at least 50 per cent FTE. Drug-free patients with a high degree of exposure had the best social functioning score. Those seven who achieved full recovery were all drug-free.
INTERPRETATION: At long-term follow-up after basal exposure therapy, those patients who chose to reduce their use of psychotropic drugs and gradually became drug free, showed better psychosocial functioning than those who were still using psychotropic drugs.