Could therapeutic diaries support recovery in psychiatric intensive care?

Abstract

Despite growing literature surrounding the use of patient diaries in intensive care units within the general healthcare setting and the positive effects these may have on a patient’s psychological recovery from such an admission; no studies exist examining the effects of similar patient diaries in psychiatric intensive care units when used with people experiencing an acute exacerbation of psychosis. This paper hypothesises the potential positive effects of diaries kept for patients in psychiatric intensive care units. In the development of strategies to help people in psychiatric crisis understand and manage their own distress and psychological trauma, diaries may be helpful for the prevention of further psychological problems and aid recovery post discharge. Research is required to consider the possible effects of therapeutic diaries and the role of the multidisciplinary team in keeping these within psychiatric intensive care settings.