Cognitive behavioral treatments of bipolar disorder: current knowledge and perspectives

A significant proportion of patients with bipolar disorder experience relapse, psychosocial impairment and persistent symptoms despite available pharmacotherapy. Prognosis is frequently worsened by poor adhesion to mood stabilizing agents. Cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) tends to diminish depressive symptoms, improve treatment adherence and reduce the risk of depressive and manic relapses. CBT effect appears to diminish in patients with a history of over twelve episodes. Most studies exclude patients with comorbid psychiatric disorder, rapid cycling, schizoaffective disorder or patients lacking adherence to mood stabilizing agents. Patients would benefit from development of CBT techniques focusing on the mentioned problems.