Social phobia is a very prevalent anxiety disorder in people with bipolar disorder and is associated with adverse outcomes. Yet, social phobia is treatable by cognitive behavioural therapy or antidepressant medication. As antidepressants are often contra-indicated in people with bipolar disorder, cognitive behavioural therapy is the likely first choice treatment for social phobia in this population. However, people with bipolar disorder were excluded from previous clinical trials on treatment of social phobia. Our aim is to evaluate the acceptability and to provide a rough estimate of efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy protocol for social phobia in people with bipolar disorder in a systematic case series. We will also prepare pilot data for evaluating the impact of treatment of comorbid social phobia on the long-term course of bipolar disorder.
