Canadian study finds nearly 40% of people with bipolar disorder achieve complete mental health, ET HealthWorld

NEW DELHI: A Canadian study has found that over 40 per cent of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are symptom-free and around a quarter achieve full mental wellbeing. According to co-author Ishna Gulati, a Masters in Public Health from the University of Toronto, having a trusted advisor is the most influential factor in achieving full mental wellbeing. “Adopting spirituality as a coping mechanism and being free of chronic pain were also found to be strong predictors of being spiritually well,” said Gulati.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood and energy swings and may be accompanied by hallucinations and delusions.

But despite these encouraging results, people with a history of mental illness are less likely to thrive than their peers, the researchers said.

These findings are published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports.

“Even after accounting for a range of sociodemographic and health factors, people with a history of bipolar disorder still face greater challenges in achieving full mental health compared to those without such a diagnosis,” said author Melanie J. Katz, a researcher at the University of Toronto.

In the study, published in the journal Reports of Affective Disorders, researchers compared 555 Canadians with a history of bipolar disorder with 20,530 respondents who did not have such a history.

To be considered to have achieved perfect mental health, participants were required to have been free of any illness in the past year, including bipolar disorder, depression or substance use disorder, and to have not had any suicidal thoughts, according to the researchers.

Participants were also required to report their social and psychological well-being and life satisfaction on an almost daily basis. Data were taken from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health.

Researchers have found that a supportive environment, strong social connections, coping mechanisms, and addressing physical health issues such as chronic pain are effective in increasing recovery and resilience in people with bipolar disorder.

The authors also found that many of those who achieved perfect mental health were married, older, and had no history of drug or alcohol abuse.

The study highlights the complex nature of recovery for people with bipolar disorder and provides practical insights for clinicians and mental health professionals, the researchers said.

“We hope that people with bipolar disorder, their families and health professionals will be encouraged to know that a quarter of respondents who had bipolar disorder now feel well, happy or satisfied with life most days of the year,” said corresponding author Esme Fuller-Thomson, a professor at the University of Toronto.

“Addressing the multifaceted needs of people with bipolar disorder requires a comprehensive approach that includes social support, effective coping strategies, and access to appropriate resources and services,” Katz said.