Improving Functioning, Quality of Life, and Well-being in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

People with bipolar disorder frequently experience persistent residual symptoms, problems in psychosocial functioning, cognitive impairment, and poor quality of life. In the last decade, the treatment target in clinical and research settings has focused not only on clinical remission, but also on functional recovery and, more lately, in personal recovery, taking into account patients’ well-being and quality of life. Hence, the trend in psychiatry and psychology is to treat bipolar disorder in an integrative and holistic manner. This literature review offers an overview regarding psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder. First, a brief summary is provided regarding the definition of psychosocial functioning and the tools to measure it. Then, the most reported variables influencing the functional outcome in patients with bipolar disorder are listed. Thereafter, we include a section discussing therapies with proven efficacy at enhancing functional outcomes. Other possible therapies that could be useful to prevent functional decline and improve functioning are presented in another section. Finally, in the last part of this review, different interventions directed to improve patients’ well-being, quality of life, and personal recovery are briefly described.

Social anhedonia and social functioning: Loneliness as a mediator

“…In this context, social functioning has been increasingly recognized as a treatment outcome for psychotherapy interventions, beyond symptomatic remission (Renner, Cuijpers, & Huibers, ; Tan, Lee, & Lee, ). Improvements in social functioning have been found to not only correlate positively with engagement in interventions (Alvarez‐Jimenez et al, ) but also with an enhanced quality of life (Bonnin et al, ). In addition, functional recovery allows individuals to return to societal roles, which in turn has been suggested to have the greatest impact on challenging stigma of mental illness (Corrigan, Morris, Michaels, Rafacz, & Rusch, ; London & Evans‐Lacko, ).…”

Effectiveness of Sleep Deprivation in Treating Acute Bipolar Depression as Augmentation Strategy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Bipolar disorder is a major health issue and cause of global disability (1). It is characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania and recurring depressive episodes that account for a considerable morbidity and mortality (2)(3)(4).…”

Features of cognitive disorders in patients with primary episodes of bipolar affective disorder

“…У дослідженнях останніх років наголошується на наявності у хворих на БАР виражених когнітивних порушень ймовірно пов'язаних з глибокими структурними морфологічними змінами у структурах мозку [11], які включають дефіцит виконавської функції, уваги та пам›яті [12]. Ці порушення можуть виявлятися не лише на нозологічному [13], а й на донозологічному етапах [14].…”