Adrienne Benediktsson

• Benediktsson has said that she was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder during her graduate training in neuroscience, soon after experiencing a major manic episode while attending a conference. [1]
• She has since spoken publicly about living with the condition and incorporating that experience into her scientific work. [1][4]

• Benediktsson has described severe episodes of both mania and depression. During the manic episode that led to her diagnosis, she became severely unwell while flying home from a conference and tried to leave the aircraft while it was in flight. She was subsequently hospitalized. [3]
• She has also described psychosis and significant gaps in her memory during her illness, as well as later relapses in connection with her pregnancies. [3]

• Benediktsson has said that the things she does every day to stay well include taking medication, maintaining a more regimented life, spending time outdoors, exercising and being patient with herself. [4]

• Benediktsson has said that she is well most of the time, while recognizing that there are periods when she needs accommodations to prevent her mood from deteriorating. She continues to speak publicly about how to live well with bipolar disorder while acknowledging the recurring nature of the condition. [4]

• Benediktsson has worked to build community support for people with bipolar disorder through peer support and committees focused on improving patient experiences in hospital and during perinatal episodes. [1]
• She has said that sharing both her lived experience and scientific knowledge can help reduce stigma and improve acceptance of bipolar disorder. She has also described feeling an obligation to speak publicly because her illness is often not apparent to others. [1][4]

“I believe that both science-based and compassion-based education about bipolar can help individuals with bipolar learn to live well.”

— Adrienne Benediktsson [5]