Associations between bereavement and (hypo-)mania: An updated mini-review

Loss and bereavement may precede mood episodes in bipolar disorders (BD). When a loved one dies, this is a stressful life event with a negative connotation that can trigger the onset of symptoms of both polarities (depressive or manic) of BD or lead to the emergence of the first mood episodes. Even though the relationships between death and depression are better known in the literature and clinical practice, the associations between bereavement and (hypo-)mania are less clear. To date, information on "funeral mania", also called "grief mania" or "bereavement mania", is rather limited, remaining in fact an underestimated topic. Aiming to draw more attention to this overlooked issue, the purpose of this mini-review is to update the knowledge currently available on this topic. We reviewed the existing literature exploring the possible associations between bereavement and the onset of a (hypo-)manic episode, both a first or recurrent episode, supporting the role of loss events as a potential risk factor for BD progression. Our findings emphasize the positive association between the loss of a loved one and (hypo-)manic symptoms in bipolar disorders, although no prospective studies have assessed the impact of these life events on the course of (hypo-)mania in a large sample. We recommend the clinical assessment of this association, in order to provide patients with BD with the most adequate and prompt treatments.