New study reveals severity of bipolar disorder

By Staff Writer

A new study in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry reveals that the debilitating effects of bipolar disorder (BD) typically last longer than those caused by epilepsy and cancer, but patients who have the psychiatric condition receive significantly less treatment.

Researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) examined surveys of 61,392 adults in the U.S., Mexico, China, New Zealand and several other nations. Because of the condition's early onset and its chronicity, the team concluded that BD is responsible for more disability-adjusted years than all forms of cancer or other neurological problems.

According to the NIMH, about 74 percent of respondents who had extreme depression as a result of BD said that they had severe role impairment in their daily lives. Approximately 51 percent of participants who reported having manic episodes said that their lives were significantly hampered by the condition.

However, the team discovered that less than half of those with BD received mental health treatment.

Adolescents who suffer from mental disorders or other emotional problems may benefit from wilderness therapy programs, which aim to provide help for troubled teens.