Psychotherapy support

Most individuals with bipolar disorder and their families welcome the opportunity to talk about the impact of the disorder on their lives and to get help on coming to terms with the problems they experience. Counseling can be useful in offering support and helping people to adjust to what has happened. There is now some research that shows that cognitive behaviour therapy and some other psychological treatments(such as family therapy) can be particularly beneficial. Cognitive behaviour therapy provides a framework for understanding bipolar disorder and the impact it has on the individual. They can explore new ways of dealing with problems and coping with stress and depression.

Types of psychotherapy

Four specific types of psychotherapy have been studied by researchers. These approaches are particularly useful during acute depression and recovery:

• Behavioural therapy focuses on behaviours that can increase or decrease stress and ways to increase pleasurable experiences that may help improve depressive symptoms.
• Cognitive therapy focuses on identifying and changing the pessimistic thoughts and beliefs that can lead to depression.
• Interpersonal therapy focuses on reducing the strain that a mood disorder may place on relationships.
• Social rhythms therapy focuses on restoring and manipulating personal and social daily routines to stabilize body rhythms, especially the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle.

Psychotherapy can be individual(only you and a therapist), group(with other people with similar problems), or family. The person who provides therapy may be your doctor or another clinician, such as a social worker, psychologist, nurse, or a counselor who works in partnership with your doctor.

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© Mark Hannant
Published 2nd May 2001