Mental health in chronic and end-stage liver disease

Abstract

Patients with chronic liver diseases experience common psychiatric disorders and specific symptoms that have psychiatric and psychological implications. Thus, mental health-care professionals must understand both the inherent liver disease process and the mental health disorders that commonly co-occur with liver diseases. For some types of liver diseases (e.g., Wilson's disease, hepatic porphyrias), the presenting features may be neuropsychiatric in nature, and clinicians should be aware of the common characteristics of these diseases. Additionally, certain psychiatric disorders are relatively common in patients with liver disease, such as addiction disorders and depression. Specific consideration of the severity of liver disease for pharmacotherapeutic management is required. Patients with liver disease face specific challenges in their daily functioning and with psychological stressors. Interventions tailored to these issues may be most effective. Patients' complex health-care needs may be best provided through collaborative care models capitalizing on the expertise of multiple disciplines.