Emotional Expression and Psychiatric Disorders

The concept of “emotional expression” is named as a combination of the positive or negative warnings, interventions and moods shown against those with disorders.

High emotional expression is defined by the intervention in the patient’s life, or aggressive or critical behaviors. Low emotional expression, however, includes the family members having less positive behaviors and having more and more disagreements with the patient, compared to high emotional expression.

According to the studies carried out in America, emotional expression is an apparent and strong indicator for the recurrence of the disorder, particularly in patients with schizophrenia and depression. In the studies, it was shown that emotional expression affects especially the patients with depression and schizophrenia, along with patients suffering from bipolar effective disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, anxiety and diabetes.

The emotional expression methods may vary based on psychiatric problems. In patients with schizophrenia, changes in the relations with family members are considered a situation needed to be taken into account in terms of psychopathology.

It is said that the risk of occurrence and repetition of the psychiatric disorders decreases in the case of a low emotional expression.

According to the results of the studies carried out, it is considered that the emotional atmosphere of the family could be a significant indicator of the progress of the bipolar disorder in the post-discharge period.

It is argued that teaching the family members on the issue of emotional expression along with the patients is important during the course of the disorder. The fact that emotional expression may negatively affect the course of the disorder or its process of termination is given as a cause for that.