Are there any other treatments for bipolar disorder?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Numerous psychotherapy modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, interpersonal social rhythm therapy, and mindfulness, may be helpful in addition to medication. However, the form of psychotherapy chosen should be specific to the individual's unique needs.[1][2]

    People with bipolar disorder may also benefit from neuromodulation treatments such as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) or repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS). Although electroconvulsive therapy has shown to be an effective treatment, there is limited research on using rTMS.[3]

    Bright light therapy can also help reduce symptoms of depression in people with bipolar disorder.[4]

    References

    1. ^Dean OM, Gliddon E, Van Rheenen TE, Giorlando F, Davidson SK, Kaur M, Ngo TT, Williams LJAn update on adjunctive treatment options for bipolar disorder.Bipolar Disord.(2018-03)
    2. ^Yatham LN, Kennedy SH, Parikh SV, Schaffer A, Bond DJ, Frey BN, Sharma V, Goldstein BI, Rej S, Beaulieu S, Alda M, MacQueen G, Milev RV, Ravindran A, O'Donovan C, McIntosh D, Lam RW, Vazquez G, Kapczinski F, McIntyre RS, Kozicky J, Kanba S, Lafer B, Suppes T, Calabrese JR, Vieta E, Malhi G, Post RM, Berk MCanadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) and International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) 2018 guidelines for the management of patients with bipolar disorder.Bipolar Disord.(2018-03)
    3. ^Loo C, Katalinic N, Mitchell PB, Greenberg BPhysical treatments for bipolar disorder: a review of electroconvulsive therapy, stereotactic surgery and other brain stimulation techniques.J Affect Disord.(2011-Jul)
    4. ^Shengjun Wang, Zhigang Zhang, Li Yao, Nannan Ding, Lingjie Jiang, Yuchen WuBright light therapy in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysisPLoS One.(2020 May 21)