How Effective Is Group Therapy For The Treatment Of Bipolar Disorder?

Dost Ongur, M.D., Clinical Director, Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital

April 29, 2008

Question: How effective is group therapy for the treatment of bipolar disorder?

Answer: There's also some evidence that group therapy can be helpful in treating people with bipolar disorder. The specific kinds of things that have been explored in this arena are substance abuse and also occupational dysfunction.

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So people with bipolar disorder who also have problems with alcohol or substances can do very well if they actually are in a group program that focuses on both topics. And, likewise, people with bipolar disorder who have been unemployed, or they have trouble getting back into the workforce, can do very well if they are in group programs that help them explore what's holding them back, and plan for getting back into the workforce.

Having said this, in general, the evidence for group therapy is actually weaker than the evidence for other kinds of individual psychotherapy, including CBT and interpersonal therapy.

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