Why does the same medication affect people differently?

In this episode of Bipolar Talk, Clement Baissat sits down with Dr. Leticia Shea, PharmD, a medication expert specializing in pharmacogenomics and precision medicine.

They discuss the role pharmacists can play in mental health care, from helping patients understand their prescriptions and side effects to identifying medication interactions and supporting better treatment decisions.

The conversation then moves into pharmacogenomics — the study of how our genes can influence the way we metabolize medications. Leticia explains how differences in genes such as CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 can affect how the body processes certain drugs, and how this knowledge could contribute to more personalized treatment.

Clement and Leticia also talk openly about bipolar disorder, depression, medication adherence, side effects, the challenges of stopping treatment, and why mental health care often needs to be personalized to the individual.

A conversation about medication, genetics, mental health, and the future of precision medicine.

🎙️ Bipolar Talk with Clement Baissat & Leticia Shea

Topics discussed:
• The role of pharmacists in mental health
• Medication management
• Side effects and drug interactions
• Bipolar disorder and depression
• Pharmacogenomics
• CYP2D6 & CYP2C19
• Precision medicine
• Personalized treatment
• Communicating with your psychiatrist, GP, and pharmacist

This episode is for educational purposes and does not replace personalized medical advice. Speak with your healthcare professional before making changes to your medication.

⁠https://hopestage.com/research

What does long-term stability with bipolar disorder actually look like?

Michael Schneider has lived with bipolar disorder for decades—and has gone 26 years without another manic episode.

But getting there wasn't simple.

In this episode of Bipolar Talk, Michael shares the turning point that changed his relationship with bipolar disorder: learning to take ownership of his illness and becoming intentional about the habits that helped protect his stability.

We talk about sleep, medication, therapy, discipline, substances, early warning signs, asking for help, and the difficult reality of accepting that bipolar disorder doesn't simply disappear.

Michael also opens up about the years when he repeatedly cycled through hospitalization and recovery, why he once saw mania as exciting, and what finally made him realize that the pattern had to change.

We also explore:

• Why sleep can become an important warning sign
• How Michael built his personal “toolbox” for stability
• Why consistency matters
• The risks he associates with alcohol and drugs
• Why reaching out for help takes courage
• How stigma affects people living with bipolar disorder
• What Michael would tell his younger self
• What he wants newly diagnosed people to understand
• Whether stability is a skill or a personality trait

A candid conversation about bipolar disorder, responsibility, acceptance, hope, and building a sustainable life.

🎙️ Michael Schneider
🎤 Clement Baissat
🎧 Bipolar Talk

⁠https://hopestage.com/research

What does long-term stability with bipolar disorder actually look like?

Michael Schneider has lived with bipolar disorder for decades—and has gone 26 years without another manic episode.

But getting there wasn't simple.

In this episode of Bipolar Talk, Michael shares the turning point that changed his relationship with bipolar disorder: learning to take ownership of his illness and becoming intentional about the habits that helped protect his stability.

We talk about sleep, medication, therapy, discipline, substances, early warning signs, asking for help, and the difficult reality of accepting that bipolar disorder doesn't simply disappear.

Michael also opens up about the years when he repeatedly cycled through hospitalization and recovery, why he once saw mania as exciting, and what finally made him realize that the pattern had to change.

We also explore:

• Why sleep can become an important warning sign
• How Michael built his personal “toolbox” for stability
• Why consistency matters
• The risks he associates with alcohol and drugs
• Why reaching out for help takes courage
• How stigma affects people living with bipolar disorder
• What Michael would tell his younger self
• What he wants newly diagnosed people to understand
• Whether stability is a skill or a personality trait

A candid conversation about bipolar disorder, responsibility, acceptance, hope, and building a sustainable life.

🎙️ Michael Schneider
🎤 Clement Baissat
🎧 Bipolar Talk

⁠https://hopestage.com/research

Would you know what to ask if you were considering joining a clinical trial?

Clément speaks with Joshua Paterson from Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation about what participation actually involves, from informed consent and different types of trials to weighing realistic risks and potential benefits.

They also discuss something particularly important for people living with bipolarity: what happens if a study requires changes to your usual treatment, and why that decision should involve careful conversations with your healthcare team.Joshua also explains why participation is about more than signing a consent form, including appointments, monitoring, questionnaires, travel and the practical demands of a study.

Listen if you want to understand clinical trials well enough to ask better questions before deciding whether one is right for you.

https://hopestage.com/research

Suzanne Dang experienced her first psychotic episode at 14 and has since been hospitalized around ten times. For years, she believed that hospitalization might be the only way for her to get better.

Today, Suzanne is a lived-experience mental health worker, peer worker, speaker, advocate and artist. She now uses her experience of bipolar type 1 and schizoaffective disorder to help others believe that recovery is possible.

In this deeply personal conversation, Suzanne and I discuss psychosis, hearing voices, hospitalization, medication and the gradual process of rebuilding a meaningful life. Suzanne also explains how work gave her hope and purpose—but why she eventually reduced her hours to protect her stability.

Together, we explore boundaries, burnout, self-stigma, supportive workplaces and the importance of finding an individual path to recovery.

As Suzanne puts it:

“One bad day does not mean that you’re going to have a bad rest of your life.”

Discover Suzanne’s work:
https://www.suzanne-dang.com/

Watch her videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@suzannedang

Content warning: this episode discusses suicide, psychosis, hospitalization and sexual violence. It shares personal experiences and does not replace professional medical advice.

Can eating at consistent times support bipolar stability?

Professor Sheri Johnson joins me to explore the emerging science connecting meal timing, Mediterranean-style eating, circadian rhythms, sleep and mood in bipolar disorder.

We discuss why bipolar disorder can be associated with more fragile body clocks, how food may act as a daily timing signal, and why small dietary changes may be more sustainable than trying to follow a perfect routine. Sheri also shares practical strategies for eating during depression or hypomania and introduces the clinical trial her team is currently conducting.

These approaches are being studied alongside usual bipolar care and are not intended to replace medication, therapy or medical advice.

What habit has made the biggest difference to your stability?

Sleep is often considered one of the most important foundations of stability for people living with bipolar disorder. But why exactly does sleep play such a critical role? What happens when our circadian rhythms become disrupted? And what does current research tell us about the relationship between sleep, mood, and bipolar disorder?

In this episode, I sit down with Zsofi de Haan, researcher, to explore the fascinating intersection between bipolar disorder, sleep science, and lived experience.

Together, we discuss:

Why humans need sleep

The role of circadian rhythms in mental health

Why sleep disruption can affect mood stability

What research currently knows about bipolar disorder and sleep

The gaps that still exist in the scientific literature

The importance of combining lived experience with scientific research

Practical insights for people living with bipolar disorder and their loved ones

Whether you're personally affected by bipolar disorder, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in the science of sleep and mental health, this conversation offers valuable perspectives from both research and real-life experience.

About the Guest :

Zsófi de Haan is a researcher focused on bipolar disorder and mental health. Drawing from both scientific expertise and personal experience, she brings a unique perspective to understanding what helps people achieve greater stability and quality of life.

About HopeStage :

HopeStage is dedicated to providing accessible psychoeducation, community support, and evidence-based resources for people living with bipolar disorder and their families.

#BipolarDisorder #SleepScience #MentalHealth #CircadianRhythm #Bipolar #Psychiatry #HopeStage #MoodDisorders #SleepResearch #Wellbeing

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Alexander Niculescu, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, professor at the University of Arizona, and founder of MindX Sciences, about the emerging field of precision psychiatry.

We discuss why psychiatry has historically lacked objective testing, how biomarkers and blood tests may help improve diagnosis and treatment, and why so many people with bipolar disorder are first labeled as having depression.

This conversation also explores bipolar spectrum conditions, antidepressants versus mood stabilizers, treatment matching, side effects, stigma, and what a more evidence-based future for psychiatry could look like.