We are 70 bipolar disorder experts & scientists gathered for the world’s biggest bipolar AMA! In honor of World Bipolar Day, ask us anything!

Hello Reddit! We are psychiatrists, psychologists, scientists, researchers, and people living with bipolar disorder representing the CREST.BD network.This is our SIXTH annual World Bipolar Day AMA! We hope that this AMA can contribute to advancing the conversation around bipolar disorder, and to help everyone connect and share ways to live well with bipolar disorder.This year, we’ve come together as the largest global team of bipolar disorder experts: 70 panelists from 13 countries with expertise into different areas of mental health and bipolar disorder. We’ll be here around the clock answering your questions from multiple time zones and will respond to as many questions as we can!Our 70 panelists (click on a name for our proof photo and bio):Dr. Adrienne Benediktsson, 🇨🇦 Neuroscientist & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Alessandra Torresani, 🇺🇸 Actress & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Andrea Paquette, 🇨🇦 Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Andrea Vassilev, 🇺🇸 Doctor of Psychology, Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Anne Van Willigen, 🇺🇸 Librarian & Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Annemiek Dols, 🇳🇱 Psychiatrist & ResearcherDr. Benjamin Goldstein, 🇨🇦 Child-Adolescent PsychiatristCatherine Simmons, 🇨🇦 Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Chris Gorman, 🇨🇦 PsychiatristChris Parsons, 🇨🇦 Lived Experience (Lives w/ bipolar)Christa McDiarmid, 🇨🇦 EPI Peer Support Worker & Bipolar Support Group Facilitator (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. David Miklowitz, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & ResearcherDebbie Sesula, 🇨🇦 Peer Support Coordinator (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Delphine Raucher-Chéné, 🇫🇷🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Clinician-ResearcherDr. Devika Bhushan, 🇺🇸 Pediatrician, Public Health Leader (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Elizabeth Tyler, 🇬🇧 Clinical PsychologistDr. Elvira Boere, 🇳🇱 Psychiatrist & ResearcherDr. Emma Morton, 🇦🇺 Senior Lecturer & PsychologistDr. Eric Youngstrom, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & ResearcherDr. Erin Michalak, 🇨🇦 Researcher & CREST.BD founderEve Mair, 🇬🇧 Bipolar UK Senior Public Policy Officer (Lives w/ bipolar)Evelyn Anne Clausen, 🇺🇸 Writer & Artist (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Fabiano Gomes, 🇨🇦 PsychiatristProf. Fiona Lobban, 🇬🇧 Clinical Psychologist & AcademicGeorgia Caruana, 🇦🇺 Neuropsychiatry PhD CandidateDr. Georgina Hosang, 🇬🇧 Research PsychologistDr. Glorianna Jagfeld, 🇬🇧 PhD GraduateProf. Greg Murray, 🇦🇺 Psychologist & ResearcherMaj. Gen. Gregg Martin, 🇺🇸 U.S. Army retired, Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Guillermo Perez Algorta, 🇺🇾🇬🇧 Senior Lecturer in Mental HealthHeather Stewart, 🇨🇦 Sewist (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Ivan Torres, 🇨🇦 NeuropsychologistDr. Jasmine Noble, 🇨🇦 Researcher & National Sustainability Director of Mood Disorders Society of CanadaJean-Rémy Provos, 🇨🇦 Executive Director of Relief (formerly Revivre)Jeff Brozena, 🇺🇸 Human-computer Interaction/Digital Health PhD Student (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Joanna Jarecki, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dra. Joanna Jiménez Pavón, 🇲🇽 Mood Disorders PsychiatristDr. John-Jose Nunez, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Clinical Research FellowDr. Josh Woolley, 🇺🇸 Psychiatrist & ResearcherDr. Jill Murphy, 🇨🇦 Global Mental Health ResearcherDr. Jim Phelps, 🇺🇸 Mood Specialist PsychiatristDr. June Gruber, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & ResearcherDr. Kamyar Keramatian, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & ResearcherDr. Katie Douglas, 🇳🇿 Psychologist & ResearcherLaura Lapadat, 🇨🇦 CREST.BD Trainee & Psychology PhD studentDr. Lauren Yang, 🇺🇸 Clinical Psychologist (Lives w/ bipolar)Leslie Robertson, 🇺🇸 Marketer & Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Lisa O’Donnell, 🇺🇸 Social Worker & ResearcherDr. Madelaine Gierc, 🇨🇦 Psychologist & ResearcherDr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona, 🇲🇽 PsychiatristMaryam Momen, 🇨🇦 Dentistry student (DMD candidate) & Mental health advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Maya Schumer, 🇺🇸 Psychiatric Neuroscientist Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Meghan DellaCrosse, 🇺🇸 Researcher & Clinical PsychologistMelissa Howard, 🇨🇦 Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Nigila Ravichandran, 🇸🇬 PsychiatristDr. Paula Villela Nunes, 🇧🇷🇨🇦 PsychiatristPepe Bakshi, 🇨🇦 Lived Experience (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Rebekah Huber, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & ResearcherRobert Villanueva, 🇺🇸 International Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Roumen Milev, 🇨🇦 PsychiatristRuth Komathi, 🇸🇬 Mental Health Counsellor (Lives w/ bipolar)Prof. Samson Tse, 🇭🇰 Counsellor, Academic and ResearcherSara Schley, 🇺🇸 Author, Filmmaker, Speaker (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Sarah H. Sperry, 🇺🇸 ResearcherShaley Hoogendoorn, 🇨🇦 Speaker, Content Creator, Mental Illness Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Steven Barnes, 🇨🇦 Instructor & Artist (Lives w/ bipolar)Dr. Tamsyn Van Rheenen, 🇦🇺 ResearcherDr. Thomas D. Meyer, 🇺🇸🇩🇪 Clinical Psychologist & ResearcherDr. Thomas Richardson, 🇬🇧 Clinical Psychologist (Lives w/ bipolar)Twyla Spoke, 🇨🇦 Registered Nurse (Lives w/ bipolar)People with bipolar disorder experience the mood states of depression and mania (or hypomania). These mood states bring changes in activity, energy levels, and ways of thinking. They can last a few days to several months. Bipolar disorder can cause health problems, and impact relationships, work, and school. But with optimal treatment, care and empowerment, people with bipolar disorder can and do flourish.CREST.BD approaches bipolar disorder research from a unique perspective. Everything we do–from deciding what to study, conducting research, and publishing our results–we do hand-in-hand with people with bipolar disorder.We host a Q&A podcast with many of the bipolar disorder experts on this panel all year round through our talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast – we hope to stay in touch with you there. You can also find our updates, social media and events at linktr.ee/crestbd! via /r/IAmA https://ift.tt/d4ibkQ0