Life events and relapse in bipolar affective disorder.

In a 2 year study of life events and relapse in a cohort of 62 patients with bipolar affective disorder, an excess of events was found during the month immediately preceding relapse. Of 52 relapses 19% were preceded by a severe event in the previous month, compared to a background rate of 5% of patients experiencing a severe event each month at other times. The rate of life events prior to relapse was not apparently different between manic and depressive relapse, though the number of depressive episodes was small.