| Australian researchers have discovered a new | | | | focused on teaching the participants to |
| procedure which has let bipolar patients | | | | recognize the common symptoms that might |
| control their mood swings. In studies, so | | | | trigger a depressive or manic episode. |
| far, they have managed to cut the number of | | | | Symptoms such asinsomnia, a significant |
| manic attacks that their patients suffer, by | | | | change in appetite, trouble concentrating, |
| half. | | | | listlessness or tiredness, and other symptoms |
| | | | that are commonly recognized as indicating a |
| Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme | | | | bipolar event might be taking place. |
| mood swings from periods of excitability to | | | | |
| periods of depression and back again. | | | | The working theory behind the study is that |
| Bipolar 1 disorder affects over two million | | | | if a bipolar sufferer is aware of an |
| U.S. citizens every year. In many people, the | | | | impending episode, he has the chance to do |
| mood swings can be so great that it prevents | | | | something about it. And the theory, in this |
| them from being able to live a normal life. | | | | case, proved to be correct. At the end of the |
| This roller coaster of emotions not only | | | | study, the 42 patients taking the therapy, |
| affects them, but it affects their friends | | | | had only 50% of the manic or depressive |
| and family as well. | | | | episodes of the 42 patients that were treated |
| | | | with medication alone. |
| The new procedure basically involves adding | | | | |
| therapy to the bipolar treatments that the | | | | The study effectively demonstrates that |
| patients normally receive. In reality, | | | | therapy which emphasizes and teaches the |
| therapy is not new as many physicians already | | | | patient how to plan his life, as much as |
| believe that the most effective treatment for | | | | possible, around regular daily activities and |
| bipolar disease is to use medication in | | | | stable relationships, can help them to suffer |
| combination with prescriptions medication. | | | | less manic/depressive attacks and to recover |
| But belief does not equal proof. | | | | faster from the ones that they do experience. |
| | | | |
| Researchers from the Mental Health Research | | | | Unfortunately, long-term therapy is not cheap |
| Institute of Victoria (MHRI) located in | | | | and many insurance companies will either not |
| Melbourne, Australia, and is Australia's | | | | cover it or cover only a portion of it. |
| largest independent psychiatric research | | | | Hopefully, studies like this will help to |
| center, have gone on record as believing that | | | | push the insurance companies into recognizing |
| this study is the first one that proves | | | | that therapy is a valid and useful treatment |
| bipolar patients can control their mania. The | | | | for bipolar disease and may even help to |
| exciting impact of the Australian study is | | | | decrease their long term costs. |
| that it gives credence to the value of | | | | |
| psychotherapy in treating bipolar illness. | | | | This study is also important and encouraging |
| | | | for many sufferers who don't want to be |
| The Melbourne study consisted of 84 bipolar | | | | entirely dependent on prescription |
| patients. Half of the patients were given | | | | medication. It gives them a sense of hope |
| medication only. The other half were give the | | | | that they can exert a portion of control over |
| same medication but in addition attended | | | | their lives that up until now has been |
| weekly therapy sessions. The therapy sessions | | | | lacking. |