It is to fill the gap of partial information and uncertainty that this guide is presented and with the hope it will stimulate further thought and action. Implications of the disparity between physical and social recovery pervade this whole guide. At this point, the main emphasis is on the value of sharing some of these post-control experiences. A second point to keep in mind is that each person is an individual who sees his changed position in the world from his own perspective of hopes, abilities and commitments. For most people diagnosed as having manic-depressive disorder, lithium prevents recurrence of unusually prolonged or intense moods which probably have a biochemical basis.
Social recovery is a more subtle process, however, often extending over a period of years.
Meanwhile, the person with controlled manic-depressive disorder is likely to resume interrupted plans, make new ones, or experience changes in relationships. This is an interesting period for most people, sometimes stressful, and often made unnecessarily difficult by the lack of opportunity to discuss experiences with others who have shared what is happening with others who have gone through similar experiences. There are many schools of thought and professional styles in dealing with this change. Occasionally, a physician feels too responsible for a patient. The person who fears he is in this type of therapeutic relationship should seek out friends or relatives who have experience with the medical system in order to discuss such doubts and perhaps change doctors.