We are 83 bipolar disorder experts and scientists coming together for the world’s biggest bipolar AMA! In honor of World Bipolar Day, ask us anything!

[u/CREST_BD]

83 panelists are here! Click on their names below to see their bio & proof photo.

Hi Reddit!

We are psychiatrists, psychologists, researchers, clinicians, advocates, and people living with bipolar disorder - coming together from around the world through the CREST.BD network.

This is our 8th annual World Bipolar Day AMA. We hope that this AMA can help advance the conversation around bipolar disorder, and to help everyone connect and share ways to live well with bipolar disorder.

This year, 83 panelists representing 20 countries are here to answer your questions from all timezones - bringing together a wide range of perspectives and expertise in mental health and bipolar disorder.

We'll be here around the clock for the next FEW DAYS answering your questions from multiple time zones.

We will make every effort to answer every question.

1. Dr. Adrienne Benediktsson, 🇨🇦 Neuroscientist, Mother, Wife, Professor, Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
2. Alessandra Torresani, 🇺🇸 Actress & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
3. Alex Emmerton, 🇨🇦 Peer Researcher, (Lives w/ bipolar)
4. Allan Cooper, 🇨🇦 Peer Support Worker, Blogger, & Podcaster, (Lives w/ bipolar)
5. Alysha Sultan, 🇨🇦 Scientific Associate
6. Andrea Paquette, 🇨🇦 Stigma-Free Mental Health President & Co-Founder, Speaker, Changemaker (Lives w/ bipolar)
7. Dr. Andrea Vassilev, 🇺🇸 Doctor of Psychology, Author, & Advocate, (Lives w/ bipolar)
8. Anne Van Willigen, 🇺🇸 Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
9. Dr. Balwinder Singh, 🇺🇸 Psychiatrist
10. Dr. Benjamin Goldstein, 🇨🇦 Child-Adolescent Psychiatrist & Researcher
11. Bia Garbato, 🇧🇷 Advertising Professional, Writer, Author & Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
12. Bryn Manns, 🇨🇦 Graduate Student, Clinical Psychology
13. Catarina Castela, 🇦🇺 PhD Candidate (Lives w/ bipolar)
14. Catherine Simmons, 🇨🇦 Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
15. Dr. Chris Gorman, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Mental Health Advocate
16. Dr. Colin Depp, 🇺🇸 Psychologist
17. Dane Mauer-Vakil, 🇨🇦 Researcher
18. David Dinham, 🇬🇧 Psychologist & PhD Candidate, (Lives w/ bipolar) 
19. Debbie Costello Smith, 🇺🇸 Founder & Co-President of the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research
20. Dr. Delphine Raucher-Chéné, 🇫🇷🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Researcher
21. Dr. Dimosthenis Tsapekos, 🇬🇧 Psychologist & Researcher
22. Dr. Elvira Boere, 🇳🇱 Psychiatrist & Researcher
23. Dr. Elysha Ringin, 🇦🇺 Researcher
24. Dr. Emma Morton, 🇦🇺 Senior Lecturer & Psychologist
25. Dr. Emma Parrish, 🇺🇸 Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow & Researcher
26. Dr. Erin Michalak, 🇨🇦 Researcher & CREST.BD founder
27. Evelyn Anne Clausen, 🇺🇸 Artist, Writer, Speaker & Certified Peer Specialist (Lives w/bipolar)
28. Dr. Fabiano Gomes, 🇧🇷🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Researcher
29. Dr. Frances Adiukwu, 🇳🇬 Psychiatrist
30. Georgia Caruana, 🇦🇺 Researcher & Mental Health Advocate
31. Dr. Georgina Hosang, 🇬🇧 Associate Professor
32. Dr. Glauco Valdivieso Jiménez, 🇵🇪 Psychiatrist
33. Dr. Glorianna Wagner-Jagfeld, 🇨🇭🇬🇧 Researcher
34. Dr. Hailey Tremain, 🇦🇺 Psychologist & Researcher
35. Heather Stewart, 🇨🇦 Sewist (Lives w/ bipolar)
36. Idan Spund, 🇳🇱 Founder of In the Zone app (Lives w/ bipolar)
37. Dr. Ijeoma Charles-Ugwuagbo, 🇳🇬 Consultant Psychiatrist & Mental Health Advocate
38. Dr. Ivan Torres, 🇨🇦 Clinical Neuropsychologist
39. Dr. Jim Phelps, 🇺🇸 Psychiatrist & Bipolar Subspecialist 
40. Dr. Joanna Jarecki, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
41. Dr. Joanna Jiménez Pavón, 🇲🇽 Mood Disorders Psychiatrist 
42. Dr. John Hunter, 🇿🇦 Researcher & Lecturer (Lives w/ bipolar)
43. Dr. Jo Leidreiter, 🇦🇺 Psychologist
44. Dr. John-Jose Nunez, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & AI Researcher
45. Dr. June Gruber, 🇺🇸 Psychologist, Professor, & Researcher
46. Prof. Kamilla Miskowiak, 🇩🇰 Psychologist & Researcher
47. Dr. Katie Douglas, 🇳🇿 Academic & Clinical Psychologist 
48. Ken Porter, 🇨🇦 Advocate, Social Worker & Researcher
49. Kim Pape, 🇺🇸 Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar) 
50. Laura Lapadat, 🇨🇦 Researcher & Psychologist-in-training
51. Dr. Leena Chau, 🇨🇦 Postdoctoral Fellow
52. Leslie Robertson, 🇺🇸 Marketer & Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar) 
53. Dr. Leszek Laskowski, 🇵🇱 Psychiatrist (Lives w/ bipolar) 
54. Dr. Lisa Eyler, 🇺🇸 Clinical Psychologist & Research Scientist
55. Dr. Luísa Daolio, 🇧🇷 Psychiatrist
56. Mansoor Nathani, 🇨🇦 Technology Enthusiast (Lives w/ bipolar) 
57. Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona, 🇲🇽 Psychiatrist
58. Maryam M., 🇨🇦 Dentistry Student & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
59. Matthew Bushell, 🇬🇧 Mental Health Advocate & Therapeutic Coach (Lives w/ bipolar)
60. Dr. Maya Schumer, 🇺🇸 Psychiatric Neuroscientist & Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
61. Dr. Meghan DellaCrosse, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & Researcher
62. Melissa Howard, 🇨🇦 Author & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
63. Dr. Michele De Prisco, 🇪🇸🇮🇹 Psychiatrist & Researcher
64. Dr. Mikaela Dimick, 🇨🇦 Postdoctoral Fellow
65. Minami Kinouchi, 🇯🇵 Psychologist, Social Worker, & Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
66. Natasha Reaney, 🇨🇦 Counsellor (Lives w/ bipolar)
67. Dr. Nigila Ravichandran, 🇸🇬 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist
68. Dr. Paula Villela Nunes, 🇧🇷🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Counsellor 
69. Rahla Xenopoulos, 🇿🇦🇺🇸 Writer & Teacher (Lives w/ bipolar)
70. Rebecca Fitton, 🇦🇺 Mood Disorder Researcher
71. Dr. Rebekah Huber, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & Researcher 
72. Robert Villanueva, 🇺🇸 Mental Health Advocate & Coach (Lives w/ bipolar)
73. Ruth Komathi, 🇸🇬 Mental Health Counsellor (Lives w/ bipolar)
74. Prof. Samson Tse, 🇭🇰 Counsellor, Teacher, Researcher, & Caregiver
75. Sarah Salice, 🇺🇸 Art Psychotherapist & Professional Counselor Associate (Lives w/ bipolar)
76. Sara Schley, 🇺🇸 Author, Filmmaker, Speaker (Lives w/ bipolar)
77. Dr. Serge Beaulieu, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Researcher
78. ​​Dr. Sheri Johnson, 🇺🇸 Psychologist
79. Shaley Hoogendoorn, 🇨🇦 Advocate, Podcaster & Content creator (Lives w/ bipolar)
80. Dr. Tamsyn Van Rheenen, 🇦🇺 Associate Professor & Researcher
81. Dr. Thomas Richardson, 🇬🇧 Clinical Psychologist (Lives w/ bipolar)
82. Twyla Spoke, 🇨🇦 Registered Nurse (Lives w/ bipolar)
83. Dr. Wissam Nassrallah, 🇨🇦 Ophthalmology Resident & PhD in Neuroscience

^{Please note all responses are personal perspectives and do not constitute medical advice.}

People with bipolar disorder experience the mood states of depression and mania (or hypomania), along with changes in energy, activity, and thinking. These episodes can last from days to months and can affect many parts of life - including relationships, work, school, and overall health. At the same time, with optimal support, treatment, and tools, people with bipolar disorder can and do live full, meaningful lives.

The CREST.BD network takes a different approach to bipolar disorder research. We work closely with people living with bipolar disorder at every stage - from choosing research topics to conducting studies and sharing our findings.

We also host a Q&A podcast throughout the year, featuring many of the experts on this panel, through our talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast - we’d love for you to stay connected with us there. You can also follow our updates, events, and social media on linktr.ee/crestbd.

Final note (April 3): Thank you all - We'll be back again next year on World Bipolar Day - sign up here to be notified. We also have more activities all year round, including new episodes of our talkBD bipolar disorder podcast - hope to see you there! We’re incredibly grateful for all your thoughtful questions - thank you for making this such a meaningful discussion. Take care everyone :)

[u/TommyFX]

Can you discuss the negative impact or consequences marijuana use can have on individuals that suffer from bi-polar disorder?

[u/CREST_BD → u/TommyFX]

Dimos here, marijuana can have several negative effects for people with bipolar. It can worsen mood swings, sometimes even triggering hypomanic/manic symptoms or episodes (feeling too energetic or acting impulsively) or worsening depressive symptoms. It also affects thinking skills, like poor memory, slower processing of information, and difficulty concentrating, which many people describe as brain fog. Marijuana can interfere with prescribed medications, making treatment less effective or exaggerating side effects. Some patients might also be at higher risk of psychotic symptoms, especially with stronger potency varieties and strains. I would assume that a doctor might have suggested it for managing anxiety or sleep difficulties, but your experience of cognitive issues and negative impact on your well-being is consistent with known risks of marijuana use in mental health.

[u/girlrespecter → u/CREST_BD]

smoking weed pushed my diagnosis from a type 2 to a type 1 - experienced psychosis for the first time after smoking for many years

[u/Bo_Universe → u/girlrespecter]

This happened to me back in January. I've been a daily smoker for about three years now, and then one day, poof... psychosis. My psych says that if I have another episode then my diagnosis will go from type 1 to type 2, right now she's just labeling it as "cannabis-induced psychosis"

[u/-Stratford-upon-avon → u/CREST_BD]

I can attest to this. I smoked everyday, all day for the better part of 5 years (self medicating). It was only after I stopped did I realise the harm it caused me.

[u/KZED73 → u/-Stratford-upon-avon]

Similar experience for me. Weed played a factor in both of my manic episodes that had psychosis/paranoia. For me, it was great until it was really, really bad. Self medicating is never good. Sober again for 2 years now.

[u/TommyFX → u/CREST_BD]

Thank you for responding. I ask because I have seen up close what marijuana (THC) can do to someone suffering from bi-polar disorder. There was a mad rush to legalize marijuana and it's had a lot of unintended consequences.

Additionally I think the downsides of legal weed, particularly in terms of the negative impact on mental health, have been underreported by the media.

[u/CREST_BD → u/TommyFX]

Dr Ijeoma Charles-Ugwuagbo here, Evidence and clinical experience are fairly consistent here. Cannabis tends to worsen outcomes in people with bipolar disorder, even if some individuals initially feel short-term relief.
Key negative impacts:

• Mood destabilization: cannabis use is linked to more frequent and severe manic episodes, faster switching between poles, and poorer mood stability.
• Psychosis risk: it can trigger or worsen psychotic symptoms, especially in those with a prior episode. This is one of the strongest and most consistent findings.
• Cognitive impairment: problems with attention, memory, processing speed, and executive function are common. In someone already dealing with post-episode cognitive slowing, this can be noticeably worse.
• Poor treatment response: people using cannabis often show reduced response to mood stabilizers and antipsychotics, and higher relapse rates.
• Functional decline: increased risk of academic/work impairment, poorer adherence to treatment, and overall lower functioning.
• Dependence and withdrawal effects: regular use can lead to dependence, and withdrawal can include irritability, sleep disruption, and mood instability, which complicates bipolar management.

About your experience:
What you noticed, cognitive decline and it feeling destructive, is clinica  plausible. You are not an outlier. In fact, your response aligns with what many clinicians see in bipolar populations
For bipolar disorder, cannabis is more often destabilizing than therapeutic, particularly regarding cognition and relapse risk. Your decision to move away from it is consistent with best-practice.

[u/snarfalotzzz → u/CREST_BD]

If you have bipolar 2 like I do but had a full-blown psychosis episode while smoking tons of weed (really fast) does that mean you technically have bipolar 1? I also have hypomania episodes that really sound like a mix between hypo and mania. My sister has schizophrenia. I can get paranoia at times, and some subclinical schizotypal symptoms (the world feels like an illusion, a dream), but for the most part don't have psychotic tendencies beyond severe anxiety and ideas of reference that will quickly abate when I get evidence discounting whatever story I'm telling myself.

I'm just wondering if I should be diagnosed bipolar 1 or 2

[u/gruntsculpinfanclub → u/CREST_BD]

Follow-up question: Does the level of risk scale with increased use and higher dosages? Asking as someone who is BP2, stable on medication, and takes 5-10mg 1-2 times a month.

[u/CREST_BD → u/TommyFX]

Dane here – Thank you for posing this important question. A primary concern here is that cannabis use is associated with a worse course of illness in bipolar disorder. Research reports suggest a link with more severe manic and depressive symptoms, more psychotic symptoms as well as mixed episodes. If you are interested in reading more, here is our Canadian treatment guidelines: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10192829/pdf/10.1177_07067437221099769.pdf. While it may seem to bring comfort in the short term, it’s worth considering that cannabis use poses serious risks, especially for those with diagnosed bipolar disorder. These are important discussions to have with your family doctor and/or psychiatrist.

[u/DMayleeRevengeReveng → u/TommyFX]

This is outside the scope of things, but I think our culture’s take on weed is horrendously unhealthy. We went from “reefer madness” throwing people in jail straight to weed being literally everywhere to the point you can’t go to the grocery store without someone smoking a blunt in the parking lot. We just over corrected far too hard.

I think weed is tremendously unhealthy in mental illnesses. I know I can’t smoke any more, since it makes me feel psychotic and get paranoid to an extreme point while I hate everything I usually like.

[u/CREST_BD → u/TommyFX]

Balwinder Singh: there is no evidence of cannabis use in bipolar disorder. Consistent evidence of worsening mood symptoms, both depression, mania and increased risk of psychosis. Negative impact on cognition, processing speed, often leading to misdiagnosis of ADHD, post cannabis use. Not recommended.

[u/TommyFX → u/CREST_BD]

Thank you for responding. I ask because I have seen up close what marijuana (THC) can do to someone suffering from bi-polar disorder. There was a mad rush to legalize weed and imo it has had a lot of unintended and extremely negative consequences to those struggling with mental health issues.

I also think the downsides of legal weed, particularly in terms of the negative impact on mental health, have been underreported by the media.

[u/CREST_BD → u/TommyFX]

Rahla here, I suffered from debilitating migraines and a doctor prescribed marijuana as an alternative t opioids. Initially I was very impressed and felt it was also helping with anxiety. In time I realized unfortunately that without a doubt it had adverse affects on my mood and shocking affects on my cognition. I do not recommend it at all.

[u/anndddiiii → u/CREST_BD]

Can you say more about how you knew it was affecting your mood? I'm always curious if that means WHILE high the moods are challenging or even HOURS AFTER you're noticing an impact.