October 3, 2022 — Among serious forms of mental illness, bipolar disorder has been one of the least-funded in terms of research. In fact, it’s seen sharply diminishing support in recent years, even as federal funding for other forms of mental illness has increased. That has left the estimated 40 million people worldwide who suffer from the disorder to struggle with imperfect treatment options.
These options may involve longtime standard medication lithium, used since the middle of the last century, to control and stabilize the mood swings that characterize the disorder. There’s also psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation and other treatments — but little hope for a timely cure.