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Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder treated with an antidepressant alone

If you have bipolar disorder, you generally should not be left on an antidepressant alone without a mood stabiliser.

51% of the time this step is missed

The silent should: If you have bipolar disorder, you generally should not be left on an antidepressant alone without a mood stabiliser.

In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 51% of the time it should have happened.

This page is information to help you ask questions — it is not medical advice, and you should never start, stop, or change a medication on your own. Bring these questions to your clinician.

Questions for your doctor the next time you see them

Copy a line and ask it — these are questions, never instructions to change treatment.

  • I have bipolar disorder and I'm on an antidepressant - should I also be on a mood stabiliser?
  • Is an antidepressant on its own the right approach for me?

This page is informational and not medical advice. It describes care patterns across a population, not your situation. Bring these questions to a clinician who knows you.

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