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Review
. 2016 Mar;39(1):87-94.
doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2015.09.003. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

The Influence of Trauma, Life Events, and Social Relationships on Bipolar Depression

Sheri L Johnson  1 , Amy K Cuellar  2 , Anda Gershon  3
Affiliations
Review

The Influence of Trauma, Life Events, and Social Relationships on Bipolar Depression

Sheri L Johnson et al. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

A growing body of research suggests that the social environment exerts a powerful influence on the course of bipolar depression. This article reviews longitudinal research to suggest that trauma, negative life events, social support deficits, and family difficulties are common and predict a more severe course of depression when present among those diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The triggers of bipolar depression overlap with those documented for unipolar depression, suggesting that many of the treatment targets for unipolar depression may be applicable for bipolar depression.

Keywords: Bipolar depression; Bipolar disorder; Early adversity; Expressed emotion; Family; Life events; Social support; Trauma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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