Why Does Lithium Help Bipolar Disorder?

There’s no doubt that lithium has a diverse list of uses. But the way that it interacts with our bodies to help treat bipolar disorder is aiding us in better understanding the disorder and potentially developing new drugs to combat it.

Hosted by: Brit Garner
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[palmsandcacti]

Fun fact: Lithium carbonate is naturally occurring in the water supply of El Paso, Texas, one of the safest cities (over 500k people) in the US. The attack on August of 2019 was by an outsider. It’s a city with a very low violent crime statistic, and many have said that the people here are particularly nice.

[patrickbateman]

1 minute in and I'm wondering what drove doctors to even try it in the first place back in the 1800s?

[williammcghee]

I've seen Lithium carbonate via injection transform a screaming, scary woman into a lady that could work all day in a kindergarden. Amazing stuff, for some people who struggle with periodic mental illness.

[Raveress_Moss]

Can confirm, lithium is the only thing keeping half my family sane

[stevegovea]

During my first manic episode, one of my beliefs was that we were all robots. And while at the mental clinic, it made sense taking lithium, especially if it's found in batteries. After taking it my depression and paranoia gradually left.
Thank God and science for medication.

[NewMessage]

batteries.. 'bipolar'.. I dunno... kinda makes sense.

[spara]

I'm diagnosed bipolar since many years and have been on lithium treatment for many years. Yesterday I picked up Magnesium citrate (first 250mg, then another 250 an hour later) to see if it could help RLS (something I've had for as long as I could remember). It did. However the calming effects on my mind and rest of my body was unexpected. It blew bensodiazepines, seroquel etc etc out of the water. I can't remember feeling this at peace and such a pleasant time trying to fall asleep since before I was a teenager possibly.

I'm not sure if I was/am just magnesium deficient in the first place (never checked to my knowledge) and that's what fixed it OR if it's the synergy between magnesium and Lithium that did it. But it is without a doubt the cleanest and most powerful calm I've ever felt. I almost teared up from joy over feeling so calm, relaxed and focused without any fucked up drawbacks like the standard medications always bring with them.

[dragon]

Don't have bipolar, Psychiatrist had me take it as a hail mary to help with my PTSD and depression.
I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have this. Its helped me so much.

[RisenPhoenix]

I've been on lithium and many other medications for ten years since my last, and hopefully final, hospitalization, and I've never felt better.

[XenoTravis]

Magnesium is also such an underrated compound (other than xenon gas lol) and it makes a crap ton of sense if lithium helps "carry it around" more

[robinhahnsopran]

Thank you for mentioning the variations in different types of bipolar disorders! :)

[Flora-vods]

This video came out the exact day I got my diagnosis.

[necromancer___]

I’ve had this question since i was 14 years old...I’m 24 now

[stevespain]

I'm one of those folk where lithium wasn't that effective. After nearly a decade of trying to find the right medicine, I ended up on Quetiapine, which has been relatively great.

[joesjoeys]

Thank you for this awesome vid.
I've been seeing someone with bipolar for a few years now, and she is on lithium. I've researched it myself, but you guys do a way better job of doing it in a way that my brain will actually remember!

[LawrenceKassab]

As someone diagnosed in 2007, information like this is highly appreciated. Thank you 😊

[GioBorsel]

As someone diagnosed with it I really appreciate you spreading awareness <3.

[DavidLindes]

It's nice to see that there are continuing developments on understanding _why_ this works; I figure that's a major component to eventually being able to figure out who it (or any medicine, especially psych meds) will and won't help... Which, when some meds cause things like akathisia, well... it's nice to know there's more discovery happening. Thanks for sharing, Brit!

[robertschlesinger]

Very interesting, informative and worthwhile video. Many thanks for the links to the references.

[jaxthibert]

This is great information. Thank you for posting.