Patienter med mani och deras upplevelser att vårdas inom psykiatrisk slutenvård

Bipolar disorder is a chronic disease with a fluctuating emotional symptomatic behavior. It effects 1.5-2 percent of the European population and is considered to be the sixth leading cause of illness in the world. Bipolar disorder type 1 is characterized by emotional symptomatic behavior were the individual oscillates between depression and mania. A manic episode lasts between two to seven months and is characterized by enhanced self-esteem, decreased need for sleep and boundless behavior. The increased emotional behavior leads to loss of control which requires psychiatric inpatient care. To form alliance with these patients is a challenge for health care professionals when they are in compulsory psychiatric treatment and lacks insight into their illness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe patients with mania and their experiences of psychiatric inpatient care. Six interviews were done and analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in one theme “To see me for who I am despite mania” and three categories “To lack the structure and interaction of the healthcare environment”, “Lacking empathy and respect” and “To meet the ambient incomprehension”. The result shows that the participants want to be treated like a human being and not as their illness. It is important that psychiatric inpatient care is tailored to individual needs with a meaningful and structured content; otherwise the human dignity can be lost.Validerat; 20130123 (global_studentproject_submitter