Social Aspect of Functioning Deteriorates More Than Individual Aspect in Patients with Remitted Bipolar Disorder

Many studies have demonstrated that patients with bipolar disorder (BD) suffer from significant functional impairment, even during remission periods. This study aimed to assess the levels of overall functioning and specific areas of functioning in remitted patients with BD compared with those in healthy controls.

Eighty completely remitted patients with BD and 80 healthy controls were included in the study. The Bipolar Disorder Functioning Questionnaire (BDFQ), Young Mania Rating Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory were used.

There were fewer married and employed cohorts in the BD group than in the control group. Compared with healthy controls, patients with BD exhibited a worse functioning in terms of intellectual and sexual functioning, feelings of stigmatization, social withdrawal, household relationships, relationships with friends, and participation in social activities. There was no difference between the groups in terms of emotional functioning, daily activities and hobbies, taking initiative and self-sufficiency, and occupation. The total BDFQ scores of patients were lower than those of healthy controls. A better functionality was observed in patients using only a mood stabilizer than in patients using three or more drugs.

Remarkably, remitted patients with BD tended to perform daily activities well when these activities were not in a social context. Stigma-oriented interpersonal approaches can be particularly beneficial for these patients.