The Idea of Special Drugs for Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder)

Abstract

Lithium was introduced into modern psychiatric practice in the 1950s and for decades it was the only drug that was thought to have aspecific effect on the psychiatric condition known as manic depression. At first it was viewed as aspecific treatment for an acute episode of mania and later it was proposed to have prophylactic properties against recurrence of future episodes. It continues to be recommended for the treatment of acute mania, although it is rarely used alone in such circumstances. It is most commonly prescribed for the prophylaxis, or prevention of recurrence, of manic-depressive episodes.

I have chosen to use the older term manic depression where I can, instead of the more modern ‘bipolar disorder’. Manic depression is a vivid and useful descriptive term, whereas bipolar disorder is not descriptive and suggests an analog with physical systems as electricity, which conveys unfounded implications about the nature of the condition.