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If the doctors believe your girlfriend has bipolar, then unfortunately medication is the only proven treatment for that disorder (unlike disorders such as OCD which can be treated with therapy). Medications for bipolar include lithium and Depakote, although the medication doses must be closely monitored depending on the current symptoms. Bipolar disorder consists of phases of severe depression and dangerous manias. If this is what you have observed in your girlfriend then you should encourage her to continue with medication treatment. If these are not the symptoms you have observed then you should encourage her to get a second opinion. If your girlfriend only has depression without any signs of mania, then it may be possible to treat with therapy alone.
Best of luck,
Dr. Williams
Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology
No Cost OCD Treatment: http://www.ocdproject.org