protection to prevent episodes in the vast majority of cases, and the most standard protection is lithi carbonate, although there are other new medications we have for patients who aren't protected by lithium carbonate. i think the quality of my life today has never been any better. lookg back, even a year ago, i was unemployed. any better. i didn't know what i was going to be dog. it's just kind of evolved. i'm spiraling up, anit just has worked out great. i take 1,2oo milligrams a day. um, you know, with lithium. the likelihood of recurrence with just average treatment-- that includes people who don't take their medicine-- the 5-year risk of recurrence is close to 8o%. for those who take their medication as prescribed, only 2o% to 3o% will have a recurrence over a two-year period. even with medication, psychotherapy may be an important part of their overall treatment. dr. knafo relates the history of lester, a bipolar patient. he had a long history of depression. he'd had several manic episodes for whh he'd been hospitalized. so here he was hospitalized this time. he was about the age that his