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If I Am Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder Will I Have It Forever? Is There A Cure?

Roy Perlis, M.D., Psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital; Assist. Prof. of Psychiatry, Harvard
February 28, 2008

Question: If I am diagnosed with bipolar disorder will I have it forever? Is there a cure?

Answer: At present bipolar disorder seems to be a lifelong illness, we really don't have a cure for it.

We do have very effective treatments, and I think that's an important point to emphasize. There's an active search for causes of bipolar disorder and the hope is that we'll find ways of someday of curing the illness or preventing it in the first place.

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But at the moment this is a lifelong illness and people typically require treatment for the rest of their life.

Next: Can Bipolar Disorder Be Prevented?

Previous: How Is It Decided Whether Treatment For Bipolar Disorder Should Occur In A Hospital Or On An Outpatient Basis?

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