Erectile dysfunction (ED) has an intricate pathogenesis, with organic and psychosocial factors contributing to the shaping of its clinical manifestations and functional impairment. ED disrupts not only an individual’s sexual life but may also contribute to impairments of self-esteem, social functioning, quality of life, overall well-being, mood, etc. The assessment process and therapeutic interventions should be adequate to the specific profile of each patient, therefore an interdisciplinary approach is usually recommended, in order to find the vulnerability factors, recent triggers, psychiatric and organic comorbidities or causes, and elements that contribute to maintaining the sexual dysfunction, such as lifestyle factors, interpersonal conflicts, or inadequate sexual education. This narrative review explores the evidence-based approaches to structured psychiatric, psychological, and therapeutical assessment in patients with ED, and the most validated psychosocial treatments available. The results support the use of recognized diagnostic criteria within DSM-5TR and ICD-11, together with structured instruments (scales, questionnaires, and inventories), in a multidisciplinary approach. The cognitive model and cognitive-emotional model of ED support the initiation of cognitive-behavioral therapy in these patients. Other interventions, like the PLISSIT model, sexual therapy, couple therapy, and sexual-focused psychoeducation are also supported by evidence. In conclusion, ED requires a combined, psychiatric, psychologic, psychotherapeutic, and organic-oriented assessment, with the purpose of tailoring the treatment to the patient’s particularities.
The conundrum of post-psychotic depression (PPD) is still present in the psychiatric literature, for more than a century since it was first described by Mayer-Gross. After a short existence in the DSM-IV and ICD-10, this nosological construct was excluded from newer versions of the mental disorders classifications. Therefore, an exploratory analysis of the PPD concept was considered useful both from clinical and theoretical perspectives. There is a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and, although not all of them represent cases of PPD, they are considered risk factors for suicide. The arguments and contra-arguments for/against PPD were reviewed, and the potential pharmacological interventions for this disorder were analyzed. The explored evidence indicates that PPD is worth further investigation, and in order to differentiate it from schizoaffective disorder, negative symptoms of SSD, or depressive manifestations within the acute psychotic episodes, clearly defined criteria should be found. The use of validated scales, like the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia and the InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking, is recommended for the initial assessment of depression and suicidal risk in patients with SSD, but also for their monitoring during the acute and maintenance phases. Besides the administration of combined, antidepressant and antipsychotic treatment, the use of clozapine, and the recommendation to initiate treatment for SSD with atypical antipsychotics whenever possible, there is a dearth of studies exploring specific interventions for PPD. Future studies are expected to address the validity of the nosological construct of PPD and the most adequate therapeutic and prophylactic interventions in patients with SSD.
Isolation and quarantine during the Covid-19 pandemic affected the lifestyle and daily functioning of the population around the world, leading to social, psychological, and economic changes which further multiplied the stress related to the threat of coronavirus contagion by adding financial, relational, academic, professional and mental health vulnerabilities. To assess the impact of isolation and quarantine over the quality of life in the Romanian population, we conducted a Web-based survey focused on the evaluation of stress level, perception of lifestyle changes, communication patterns, mental health, major concerns, perception of one’s future, but also on the preferred coping strategies that people have used to deal with the isolation stress. The answers were collected during one month and the results for the first 2 weeks of quarantine/isolation were compared with the results after one month of such regimen. Several recommendations based on the survey results analysis were formulated regarding possible strategies for decreasing the impact of stress factors over the general population and specific, vulnerable groups.
