Is “early intervention” in bipolar disorder what it claims to be?

The notion of early intervention is understandably appealing for conditions such as bipolar disorder (BD), a chronic life-long illness that increases risk of suicide and diminishes quality of life. It is purported that intervening early in the course of the illness with suitable interventions could substantially alter the trajectory of BD and improve outcomes. However, while there are obvious benefits to the prompt commencement of treatment, it...