Approximately 10 million people in the United States have bipolar disorder, and their families and friends are also affected as they struggle to cope with its disabling effects on their loved one. Many approaches are used to treat bipolar disorder, including several types of psychotherapy along with medication. One bipolar therapy called family-focused therapy, or FFT, has proven successful for many bipolar patients, helping them become more stable and reduce the likelihood of relapses.
Developed by two psychologists, this bipolar therapy treatment based on family dynamics makes sense, considering that primary caregivers of those with bipolar disorder are at a greater risk of developing the illness or depression than the general population. Several studies have shown that FFT benefits the family members involved in the psychotherapy treatment as well as the patient.
During FFT sessions, the patient and family members meet together with a therapist who is trained in treating bipolar disorder with this specific type of psychotherapy. One of the goals of FFT is to improve family relationships, which is thought to support better treatment results.
How Family Therapy Helps
During family therapy, the therapist works to educate family members about bipolar disorder and related problems, including the burnout that many family members and other caregivers experience when dealing with a loved one who is bipolar. This psychotherapy technique aims to give families better communication skills so they can minimize stress and work together to solve problems, whether or not those problems are directly related to bipolar disorder.
Family-focused bipolar therapy sessions should teach participants how to:
- Identify bipolar disorder symptoms and recognize signs of impending episodes or relapses.
- Use better communication skills in order to engage more effectively and to resolve conflicts with fewer negative feelings.
- Use problem-solving skills, including management strategies specifically designed to help with bipolar disorder
- Take constructive steps and actions when the patient appears to be having significant difficulties with the illness
The Effectiveness of Family Therapy
Studies have shown that FFT can help patients avoid relapses and recover from bipolar episode more quickly than without the therapy intervention.
Family therapy is more effective than some other forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and group therapy, in preventing relapses, especially when FFT is initiated after an acute bipolar episode.
Patients who exhibit mostly depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder are more likely to be helped by FFT than those with primarily manic symptoms, who are more likely to respond to cognitive-behavioral therapy.
However, all forms of therapy have their limitations. Regardless of the type of therapy used to treat bipolar disorder, there is no cure for the illness, and even those who have successful treatment will continue to experience serious mood changes and lingering symptoms of bipolar disorder. Treatment needs to be ongoing.
Finding the Right Therapist
On its Web site, the National Alliance on Mental Illness offers resources for those in search of help to manage bipolar disorder.
Other resources to consider when looking for a therapist trained in FFT include:
- Your family doctor
- Friends and family members who have dealt with mental illness
- Mental health associations and support groups
- Your state’s regulatory board for mental health professionals
Family-focused therapy may be the way to resolve frustrating family issues and improve all family members’ ability to better cope with bipolar disorder.