Alternatives to Antidepressants in Treating Acute Bipolar Depression

Major depressive episodes and subsyndromal depressive symptoms are associated with significant psychosocial impairment for patients with bipolar disorder. However, insufficient evidence exists to support the efficacy of antidepressants for treating bipolar depression. Alternative pharmacotherapies have been approved for the treatment of bipolar depressive episodes, and adjunctive psychosocial interventions have proven efficacy when used with pharmacotherapy.