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Cognitive Therapy for Relapse Prevention for Bipolar Disorder
A study published today in the Archives of General Psychiatry describes the outcome of a randomized controlled study of cognitive therapy (CT) to help prevent relapses and promote social functioning in bipolar disorder. The authors Lam, Watkins, Hayward, et al, from the Institute of Psychiatry, London, England used CT as adjunctive therapy to standard mood stabilizers used to treat the disorder. The results were reported after a 12 month study in which both the control and CT groups received mood stabilizers and regular psychiatric follow-up but the CT group also received an average of 14 sessions of CT during the first 6 months and 2 booster sessions in the second 6 months.
Results
Results from the study show that “during the 12-month period, the CT group had significantly fewer bipolar episodes, days in a bipolar episode, and number of admissions for this type of episode. The CT group also had significantly higher social functioning. During these 12 months, the CT group showed less mood symptoms on the monthly mood questionnaires. Furthermore, there was significantly less fluctuation in manic symptoms in the CT group. The CT group also coped better with manic prodromes at 12 months.” They concluded that using CT for relapse prevention in bipolar disorder is successful and useful in conjunction with mood stabilizers.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60:145-152
11:21:19 PM 
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