Question:
Natural History of Bipolar Disorder?
Answer:
A review of two centuries' literature on the natural history of bipolar
disorder, including modern naturalistic studies and new data from a lifelong
follow-up study of 220 bipolar patients, reaches the following conclusions: the
findings of modern follow-up studies are closely compatible with those of
studies conducted before the introduction of modern antidepressant and
mood-stabilizing treatments. Bipolar disorder has always been highly recurrent
and considered to have a poor prognosis. Patients with bipolar disorder who have been hospitalized spend about 20% of
their lifetime from the onset of their disorder in episodes. 50% of bipolar
episodes last between 2 and 7 months (median 3 months). The intervals between
the first few episodes tend to shorten; later the episodes return at an
irregular rhythm of about 0.4 episodes per year with high inter-individual
variability. Switches from mania into mild depression and from depression into
hypomania were frequently reported in the 19th and the first half of the 20th
centuries.
Antidepressant and antimanic drugs have to be given as long as the natural
episode lasts. Given the poor outcome of bipolar disorders found in
naturalistic follow-up studies and our lifelong investigation, intensive
antidepressant, antimanic and mood-stabilizing treatments are required in most
cases. Despite modern treatments the outcome into old age is still poor, full
recovery without further episodes rare, recurrence of episodes with incomplete
remission is the rule, and the development of chronicity and suicide still
frequent.
What an appropriate name, Angst. This is what this paper
evokes in me.
The negative prognosis of this analysis is perfect.....to support
my position that I am entitled to lifelong disability compensation. Hey Vise11 have you ever tried the big deep pelvic massage machine at
the doctors office, it was invented in 1752 by Gagonthisone in France. It
would help you a lot. I've been Jay H, Canarybird, Empty Cage, Serin, Phoenix, even Crow.
Let's see if I can stick with this one for a while.
