The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast Christmas, Bipolar, and Ozempic
Dec 8, 2025
The discussion highlights strategies for helping bipolar patients navigate holiday stress, addressing social pressures and family traumas. There's an exploration of winter depression, its effects on mood, and the benefits of light therapy. Additionally, the podcast looks into how holiday routines impact lithium levels and the emerging interaction between semaglutide (Ozempic) and lithium, raising concerns about toxicity. Practical tips for maintaining stability during the festive season are also shared, along with insights into GLP-1 medications.
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Holiday Season Amplifies Bipolar Risks
- Bipolar patients commonly dread holiday season due to social, logistical, and trauma triggers that reactivate symptoms.
- Seasonal shifts and winter depression affect up to half of people with bipolar disorder, far higher than the general population.
Use Morning Light To Reset Clock
- Encourage morning light exposure and regular wake times to set circadian rhythms and reduce winter depression.
- Advise patients using light therapy to sit under bright light early in the morning, tailored to their chronotype.
Preserve Social Rhythms Daily
- Maintain consistent daily routines for wake time, work/goal activities, social interaction, and dinner to halve bipolar episode risk.
- Replace usual work routines during holidays with structured goal-directed tasks at the same times to preserve social rhythms.
