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The foundations of effective management of bipolar disorder
V Kusumakar1, L N Yatham, D R Haslam
1Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. vkusumakar@usa.net
Objectives:
To understand the epidemiology and course of bipolar disorder; to outline the importance of accurate and reliable diagnosis of bipolar disorder both on a cross-sectional and longitudinal basis; and to emphasize the value of a collaborative therapeutic relationship, psychoeducation, and psychotherapy.
Methods:
A brief review of relevant literature to deal with the issues of diagnosis and laying the foundations for effective treatment.
Results:
Bipolar disorder may well be a heterogeneous group of conditions with varying forms of biphasic mood dysregulation and a changing course across a lifetime. A collaborative therapeutic relationship, psychoeducation, and psychotherapy can be the basis for effective management.
Conclusions:
As the concept of bipolar disorder has broadened, the condition is being identified with increasing frequency in many clinical settings. It is a relapsing and recurring condition. It is now recognized that in addition to rational pharmacotherapy, there is a need to encourage a high level of treatment adherence while providing a holistic package of interventions.