The evolution of psychoeducation for bipolar disorder: from lithium clinics to integrative psychoeducation

Abstract

Coping and living with bipolar disorder is complex and sometimes counterintuitive. It demands a number of attitudes and aptitudes that include a huge emotional insight, healthy and regular lifestyle, skills to identify subtle changes and motivation to reach full treatment adherence. Patients' engagement and proactive attitude are a must for a successful therapeutic outcome. This may partly explain the therapeutic impact of psychoeducational programs in this disorder. However, the history of group psychoeducation in bipolar disorder is full of ups and downs. Interestingly enough, worldwide-respected opinion leaders in group therapy were initially not very enthusiastic with the use of such strategy with bipolar patients. I. Yalom, for instance, defined a bipolar patient as “one of the worst calamities that could befall group therapy” 1. Since then, the practice of psychoeducation has been evolving together with the conceptualization of bipolar disorder.