Hypomania following Abrupt Lithium withdrawal

Development of 'rebound' mania in a patient with recurrent manic psychosis (Cordess 1982), triggering of psychotic illness (Klein et al 1981) and relapse of manic depressive psychosis (Shashidharan et al 1983 & Mander 1986) have been described following withdrawal from long term treatment with lithium. Change of polarity has been reported following withdrawal of tricyclic antidepressant in patients with unipolar depression (Gupta et al 1986). To the best of my knowledge there is no report of change of polarity following lithium withdrawal in a patient with unipolar depression.