Psychosocial treatments

Treating bipolar disorder is more than just taking medication. You will also be using psychosocial treatments, which are treatments related to your thought and behaviour.

Psychosocial treatments can help you: 

• understand bipolar disorder, 

• come to terms with the impact it will have on your life and 

• understand the effects it may have on your relationships with family and friends.

Psychotherapy can help during episodes of depression. In the long-term, psychotherapy can also reduce your stresses and help prevent episodes of mania or depression.

There are different types of psychosocial treatments:

• Cognitive-behavioural therapy helps you change your thought patterns to be positive instead of negative. 

• Psychoeducation teaches you about the disorder and its treatment, and how to recognise when you are having an episode.

• Psychoeducation can also be good for family members, to help them understand and support you.

• Family therapy reduces family distress that may contribute to, or result from, the illness.

• Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy helps you improve relationships with other people and organise your daily routine.

You might be seeing a psychologist, social worker or counsellor. They will be working in combination with a psychiatrist as part of your treatment team, and monitoring your progress. 

What is the difference between psychosocial treatments and psychotherapy?

Psychosocial refers to a whole range of treatments to do with regulating your thought and behaviour, both individually and relating to others.

There are many different types of psychotherapy. They are all ways of helping people to overcome stress, emotional problems, relationship problems or troublesome habits. What they have in common is that they are all treatments based on talking to another person and sometimes doing things together.