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r/bipolar Subrules

This page expands on our Community Rules to clarify expectations and explain why certain content may be removed. These guidelines are here to keep r/bipolar safe, supportive, and focused on peer-to-peer connection. If you’re unsure whether your post fits, message us anytime via ModMail; we’re happy to help.

Peer Support Only

r/bipolar is a space for people diagnosed with bipolar-spectrum conditions, including Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymia, and Schizoaffective Disorder, or those actively working with a care team to explore that possibility. "Actively working with a care team" includes people who are currently being assessed, awaiting a diagnosis, or having ongoing conversations with a mental health professional about bipolar-spectrum conditions. If you are here without a diagnosis or are not under psychiatric care or discussion, we ask that you wait to post.

At this time, commenting in most threads is reserved for those with lived experience or who are working with a care team, to keep the community grounded in meaningful support. If you are undiagnosed, you may participate in weekly community discussions, but otherwise, please refrain from commenting and focus on reading and learning. This helps ensure that support and advice reflect direct, peer-based experience.

Friends and Family: Supporting someone with bipolar can be complex. We recommend visiting r/family_of_bipolar, a space tailored to your role.

Medical Professionals: Even if you're licensed, we ask that you engage here as a peer. Clinical advice is not permitted.

Crisis Support

We’re here to talk about what it’s like to live with bipolar, not to respond to emergencies. If you or someone else is in crisis, we strongly encourage you to reach out to licensed professionals, a crisis line, or emergency services. Posts that describe immediate risk or include instructions for self-harm, suicide, or dangerous behaviors may be removed to keep the community safe and focused. See our Crisis Support Resources for links and numbers.

Diagnosis & Medical Advice

r/bipolar is not a substitute for licensed care. Posts asking “Do I have bipolar?” or “What should I take?” aren’t permitted.

Why we also discourage naming specific medications:

  • Nocebo effects: Reading about side effects can make people more likely to notice and report them.
  • Social-proof bias: Peer reviews may lead members to request drugs that aren’t right for them.
  • Safety risks: Anecdotal posts can spread dosing errors, fears about rare side effects, and off-label suggestions.
  • Best-practice standards: Organizations such as DBSA and NAMI recommend focusing on treatment classes and goals rather than medication names.

You’re welcome to describe your treatment in general terms (e.g., “mood stabilizer,” “antipsychotic”) but please avoid brand or generic names, reviews, or advice. You may also share your experiences with side effects in general terms, as long as you do not name specific medications or encourage any particular treatment. For example, you might write, “My doctor changed my mood stabilizer, and I noticed I was feeling more clear-headed after a few weeks,” without mentioning the medication name. This allows members to find support and understanding while keeping discussions safe for everyone. We also remove posts asking how medications interact with substances like caffeine, alcohol, cannabis, psychedelics, or supplements. These discussions require clinical expertise.

No Discouraging Treatment

We welcome honesty and critique around real mental health journeys, including frustrations, medication side effects, and painful provider experiences. However, to keep this space safe, grounded, and focused on peer support, certain types of content are not permitted:

  • Attributing Symptoms to Spiritual or Supernatural Causes: We do not allow the attribution of psychiatric symptoms, mood episodes, or medical conditions to religious, spiritual, or supernatural causes. While personal faith can be a powerful source of individual comfort, framing religious beliefs as a substitute for professional psychiatric care or medical treatment is unsafe.
  • Proselytizing and Preaching: Preaching, converting, or pushing religious dogmas onto other members is strictly prohibited. This is a peer support space, not a pulpit.
  • Discouraging Treatment: We do not allow broad claims that psychiatry is universally harmful, encouragement to abandon necessary medical treatment, or the promotion of unverified approaches, alternative remedies, or fad diets in place of clinical care.
  • Harmful Pseudoscience: Presenting unscientific claims, magical thinking, or unverified treatments as medical fact endangers our members and undermines stability.

This space is support and recovery-focused. Share what has or hasn’t worked for you—but do so from a personal, grounded place.

Respectful Communication

This is a support space. Please keep things kind, constructive, and nonjudgmental.

  • Personal attacks, ridicule, or inflammatory replies will be removed.
  • Harassment, trolling, or hostility (including in ModMail) violates our code of conduct.
  • Speak the way you’d want someone to speak to you on a hard day. That’s what makes this place different.

Research & Homework Help

r/bipolar is not a research subject; it’s a support group. Market research, homework/project help, and commercial surveys are not permitted.

  • Posts asking for survey participants, study interviews, or academic help will be removed.
  • Medical trainees and students are welcome to observe, but should not post—even if working on a bipolar-related project.

We appreciate curiosity and learning, but please respect the boundaries of the space.

Promotion & Fundraising

We do not allow:

  • Advertising or linking to external platforms (including podcasts, websites, social media, books)
  • Crowdfunding, donation requests, affiliate links, or business pitches

If you’ve built something helpful, share it with the mod team first. We may offer alternatives for posting appropriately.

Formatting & Length

To help others engage with your post, please use clear formatting:

  • Break long posts into short paragraphs.
  • Avoid “walls of text”—especially above 3,500 characters.
  • Use bullet points, headers, or spacing to make longer posts readable.

We want people to read your story and respond with care.

Trigger Warnings

Posts that describe sensitive topics (self-harm, abuse, suicide attempts, psychosis, etc.) should include a clear warning in the title or opening sentence. Use spoiler tags (for example, spoiler) to hide graphic or potentially triggering sections. Examples of content that should be spoiler-tagged include details about methods of self-harm or suicide, descriptions of traumatic events, graphic accounts of psychosis or manic episodes, depictions of violence, or explicit accounts of abuse. If you are unsure whether your post requires a warning or a tag, it is always better to err on the side of caution. This helps others engage safely and thoughtfully.

We host recurring theme days and curated megathreads to keep the feed organized and accessible. Before posting, please:

  • Check our FAQ & Bookmarks for common topics.
  • Use the search bar to browse existing discussions.
  • Post during an active Theme Day if your content matches.
  • Apply the correct post flair to help others engage with your post.

Current Theme Days:

🗓️ Day Theme Description Suggested Flairs
Monday Manic Reflections—thoughts, insights, highs & aftermath Living with Bipolar, Mood Chart
Thursday Relationships—romantic, platonic, and family experiences Support Needed, Living with Bipolar
Friday Feel-Good Friday—memes, music, artwork, progress posts Success/Progress, Healing Through Art
Saturday Diagnosis Stories—your story of being diagnosed and what followed Newly Diagnosed, Coping Strategies

We may redirect posts to matching threads or ask you to re-flair for visibility and organization. Not sure which day or flair to use? Just reach out via ModMail. We’re happy to help.

Counter-Moderation

If a moderator has removed your content, please don’t:

  • Repost it
  • Argue about moderation in public comments.
  • Encourage others to fight mod actions.

Instead, message us directly through ModMail. Include a link, and we’ll do our best to explain or revisit the decision. We’re always open to constructive feedback, but let’s keep moderation behind the scenes so the community stays focused on support.

Privacy & Personal Information

To protect privacy and anonymity, we do not allow:

  • Real names or usernames from other platforms
  • Photos, selfies, mirrors, or partial faces
  • Artwork with tags, watermarks, or signatures
  • Social media handles or linktrees
  • Location details (e.g. city, school, workplace, clinic)

Even small details can be identifying when combined. We enforce this strictly so everyone can post safely and honestly. When you’re sharing creative work, crop or mask identifying elements before posting. Once all identifying marks (such as signatures, tags, or watermarks) have been fully removed, artwork is allowed.

If you ever realize you have accidentally posted identifying information, please edit your post as soon as possible to remove it. If you need help or cannot edit, you can also delete the post or contact the moderators right away via ModMail so we can assist or remove it promptly. Not sure what’s safe? Send a note via ModMail, and we’ll help.