Study: Mindfulness therapy helps people cope with bipolar symptoms

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may improve mood, emotional regulation, well-being, and functioning in people with bipolar disorder, according to a new study published in the February issue of CNS Neurosciences & Therapeutics.

The study—"Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Nonremitted Patients with Bipolar Disorder"—led by Thilo Deckersbach, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and his associates, explored the role of MBCT in 12 patients with bipolar disorder.

Participants took part in 12 group MBCT sessions and then were assessed after treatment and again at a three month follow-up.

The researchers found that participants showed increased mindfulness, lower residual depressive mood symptoms, less attentional difficulties, and increased emotion-regulation abilities, psychological well-being, positive affect, and psychosocial functioning at the end of the therapy sessions and at the three month follow-up.

The findings suggest that treating residual mood symptoms with MBCT may be another avenue to improving mood, emotion regulation, well-being, and functioning in individuals with bipolar disorder, say the authors.

For more information about the study, click here. To read about other mindfulness-based studies on Mindful.org, click here

02/24/12