Different treatment modalities for recurrent bipolar affective disorders: an integrative approach.

Pharmacological, behavioural and psychotherapeutic procedures for the acute and prophylactic treatment of mania and depression are considered in outline. It is argued that the manic state is the primary disorder, with depression being a secondary homeostatic response to mania: the prophylaxis of depression thus depends upon the successful long-term control of mania. Suggestions are made regarding ways in which nonpharmacological techniques may be developed to achieve the prophylactic effectiveness against recurrent bipolar affective disorders which is, at the present time, to be found only among pharmacological treatment procedures.