Exclusion criteria

The patients admitted with depressive, mixed episode or first manic episode were excluded from the study. In addition, those who had associated mental retardation, pregnancy/lactation, or presence of uncontrolled medical or surgical condition were excluded from the study. Patients who were advised electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or those acutely suicidal were also excluded from the study. Those with comorbid psychiatric illnesses except substance abuse were also excluded from the study.

The confidentiality of the information obtained was maintained, and the principles enunciated in the Declaration of Helsinki were complied, and the Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines on biomedical research on humans were followed.[13,14]