Abstract

CHAVEZ-LEON, Enrique; BENITEZ-CAMACHO, Erika  and  ONTIVEROS URIBE, Martha Patricia. Cognitive behavioral therapy for the acute major depressive episodes in bipolar I disorder. Salud Ment [online]. 2014, vol.37, n.2, pp.111-117. ISSN 0185-3325.

Although pharmacotherapy is the essential treatment for bipolar I disorder depression, a significant percentage of patients continue experiencing emotional episodes. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy and social rhythm and focused family therapy, as well as psychoeducation, share the emphasis on the empowerment of the patient so she/he becomes an active participant in treatment, becomes aware of the nature of the disorder who suffers, and learns to recognize early symptoms of depressive episodes in order to prevent its recurrence. The addition of the CBT aims to alleviate depressive symptoms, restore the psychosocial functioning and prevent the appearance of new affective episodes. Objectives This paper aimed to demonstrate the importance and usefulness of the CBT as an adjuvant of the pharmacological management of depression in bipolar disorder type I in those areas which cannot be resolved by pharmacological treatment (residual symptoms, adherence and compliance with treatment, awareness and understanding of bipolar disorder, identification of prodromal symptoms and developing coping skills). Method Controlled clinical trials about the usefulness of CBT as an adjunctive treatment of patient with depression due to bipolar disorder type I are reviewed. Results CBT increases adherence to drug therapy, decreases the frequency of relapses, diminishes residual symptoms, the need for hospitaliza-tion, and the duration time of depressive episodes; it also improves psychosocial functioning. However, these effects diminish over time and its results are lower in patients with more affective episodes and greater comorbidity. Conclusions There is evidence of the utility of the CBT as a useful tool to improve the evolution of the condition in depressed patients due to bipolar I disorder and of the need to extend the time of this and other psychosocial interventions, since this disorder is a condition that lasts a lifetime and causes significant impact on psychosocial functioning of the person.

Keywords : Bipolar I disorder; bipolar depression; treatment; psychotherapy; cognitive behavioral therapy; interpersonal therapy and social rhythm; focused family therapy.

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