Bipolar treatment hailed as life-changing
Mental health researchers in Melbourne have come up with what they are calling a pioneering program to help people who have bipolar disorder.
The researchers have developed a behavioural treatment for the devastating disorder, which is linked to a high percentage of suicides in Australia.
The team, led by the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria , says the new treatment has halved the number of relapses suffered by the program’s participants.
Bipolar disorder is characterised by swings from depressive to manic moods.
St Vincent’s Hospital’s chair of psychiatry, Professor David Castle, says it is the first course in the world to halve participants’ depressive episodes and cut manic relapses completely.
The key to the program is recognising the early warning signs.
“One of the cardinal early warning signs is sleep disturbance,” he said.
