The Nature and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder and the Bipolar Spectrum

In this chapter, we review the nature and treatment of bipolar disorder. We first present a perspective on the disorder, based on the dominant bipolar I and II classifications, and review the current state of medication and empirically supported psychosocial interventions (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, family-focused therapy, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, and group treatment), including factors that lead to poor treatment response. Given the increased attention to how bipolar I and II may lie at one end of a continuum of patterns of mood instability, we subsequently address spectrum conceptualizations of bipolar disorder. The proposed spectrum models are presented and then considered in relation to revised prevalence rates and treatment implications.