The pharmacological management of bipolar disorders faces some of the same challenges of
any preventive program of medication; at the time the pill is taken, there may be no
disorder-related symptoms, and particularly no symptom relief, to either cue or reward pill
taking. Under these conditions, pill use is primarily motivated by the memory of past
symptoms and concerns that they may recur. Moreover, emergent side effects may sap this
motivation and punish pill taking.