Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder by Julie A. Fast, John D. Preston is a book that I personally found very useful, and felt so strongly and positively about it that I felt I should share it.

Even if you don't have a romantic partner, which it does focus on, it is useful and applicable to any close relationship. In addition, I found I could use it to effectively express my experiences to anyone, by showing them extracts of the book. It also helped me feel less alone as it covers symptoms, emotions and experiences that are not necessarily covered in other books, webpages and general bipolar information. It gave me a "so I'm not the only one!" feeling that was very comforting. The advice and coping methods are logical and easy to follow, and covers all ranges of levels. It also, as the title implies, give a comprehensive guide to one's loved ones and how they can cope and help. From the experiences of my partner, it is comforting and empowering. Not knowing what to do can cause much distress to the people who care about you.

The book follows and easy to follow format that is nicely broken into well structured sections that allow for easy reading even within the confines of a busy, stressful and emotional lifestyle. What I found most effective was to go through the sections at my own pace, underlining or ticking anything I could relate to. After this I went through it with my partner and we discussed the commonalities and incongruence in our perceptions of my experiences. One I had gone through the book, I could show my close friends and it served as a less stressful means of this important communication.

I hope it can help others as much as it helps me.  

This is a link to the book on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Loving-Someone-Bipolar-Disorder-Julie/dp/1572243422