BATHE
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BATHE
The B.A.T.H.E. system is a great tool to help introduce patients in a subtle, caring way
to the fact that a symptom, an illness or a crisis is affecting them. It's a first step in
enabling them to begin to take charge of their life. Sometimes you have little more to do,
they can figure out their own responses to stresses.
B - Background: "What's been going on in your life these days?"
A - Ask about their Affect - anxiety, symptoms of depression, anger, guilt and fear. "I've
noticed
you seem a little anxious/depressed/angry. Would you like to tell me more about that?"
T - Trouble: what has happened as a result of the problem? " How has this affected
your family (sex life etc.)?
H - How have they been Handling it so far? "What seems to work best for you to
cope?" "What
changes have you had to make?
E - Empathising: "I can see that this symptom is very distressing to you, but thankfully
there
does not seem to be any serious illness"
(and, Explaining the symptoms in simple language can be very helpful)
We can balance things out by reminding them of their achievements and successes.
At the end of the visit, we could offer simple suggestions for alleviating symptoms. Or
we could hand out the two-sided ' Stress Summary', which is a very brief overview of all
a person can do to manage stress better. A few samples of a minor tranquillizer if
function is very impaired may confirm that symptoms are anxiety related. I encourage
patients to voice their concerns or write questions down for the next appointment.
