Favorite books on bipolar and why?

By Michael Sunday, November 18, 2007

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I am looking to get feedback/reviews on books anyone has read about bipolar disorder. I continue to read various things, and think it would be neat to maybe continually revisit a thread on this, with any and all updating this post as they run across texts they find particularly useful, comforting, stimulating, or even entertaining.

Which books/writers have you found to most accurately articulate your experience? Have any been particularly great directives in helping you navigate your bipolar condition? If you have a book, two or three you particularly like, what about the book makes it great?

Thanks, in advance, to any/all who'd like to share.

Comments (13) | Add comment

none

11/18/07 5:51pm

Personally I like Bipolar For Dummies. It is well written in lay terms not doctor lingo so it is very easy to read and understand. I myself have trouble concentrating when reading but this book was easy to get through. My husband read the book also and it has been a great help to him in understanding and helping me with this illness.

Michael

11/19/07 11:04pm

I'd love to hear more about it if/when you feel moved to share s'more! Thanks, BPJourney.

JackieO

11/18/07 8:36pm

I read everything I can get my hands on. Here are a few I go back to:

- An Unquiet Mind and Exuberance by Kay Redfield Jamison

- Bipolar Disorder Demystified by Lana R. Castle

- Taming Bipolar Disorder by Lori Oliwenstein

This one I really like...

- The Bipolar Workbook by Monica Ramirez Basco

I typically don't like the workbooks - they're too simplistic and talk down to you, but this one really offers some exercizes that are worthwhile for me.

Good idea for a thread!

Allikat7

11/19/07 8:54pm

I really like the following books:

Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder by Julie Fast and John Preston PsyD.

Bipolar Demystified by Lana Castle

and Living Well with Depression and Bipolar Disorder by John Mcmanamy

They are all really great books. The first one made me realize so many more behaviors that I had thought were normal were not. I hope this helps!

Michael

11/19/07 11:02pm

Allikat-

Thank you. Would you care to share anything more regarding the books, themselves? What made them good, very good, excellent, etc.? Very interesting about the distinguishing of normal versus abnormal behaviors. It would be interesting to hear about some of these behavioral distinctions, if you care to share more - thanks, again.

Michael

11/19/07 11:07pm

Thank you, jbh77062. I had never heard of Taming Bipolar Disorder. I will look into it for sure. I'd be excited to hear about the most significant things you found enlightening about any or all of these books. I appreciate you sharing - thanks, again.

Allikat7

11/20/07 12:15am

The best book about distinguishing between normal behavior and abnormal behavior by far was the Taking Charge of Bipolar Disorder by Julie Fast. It described in detail what is normal and what is not. It explained more and gave examples of what those behavior might manifest as. When I read it I found out that a lot of my behavior and thoughts were not normal. For example, I thought it was normal to think everyone is talking about me or that my family/friends suddenly hate me and are ignoring me or that thinking that it is God talking to me when I ask for guidance is it is not really God talking to me inside my head (which scared me to death when I read it)...etc.. I would recommend this book above all if you are wanting to know what is normal and what isn't.

The second book I listed I think was the Bipolar Demystified. This book is great as well, but is of a relational type of book as in the author shares her story and then you can relate to her. Very comforting book and makes you feel like you are not so crazy afterall.

The third book I listed was one authored by one of the experts on the site called Living Well with Depression and Bipolar Disorder. This was great because it gave you more technical information as well as the relational part and how to help yourself. All great books and all worth reading. Between the three I think you can find the answers you are looking for. Good luck!

Allikat7

11/20/07 12:17am

I meant to say that those behaviors I experienced was NOT normal...I forgot to put the not part in my original reply...

Michael

11/20/07 3:45pm

AWESOME!

Actually, I am simply wanting to learn as much as I can and hear insights from as many perspectives as I can. I really appreciate your fantastic elaboration, Allikat7. ;)

bipolarchld2

11/20/07 10:05pm

My favorite book about bipolar is "An Unquiet Mind" by Kay Redfield Jamison. I have reread that book numerous times and love it because it describes me to a tee. She has lived with bipolar for many years, as have I.

Michael

11/21/07 12:30am

Interesting, bipolarchld2. To a "T," eh? That is particularly curious to me as we are all so different. Does the author share her personality, as well, and perhaps discuss her personality as unique?

I have just begun to read this book, too, though I am only through the first few pages. If you care to share, what about your person/condition do you share in common with the author?

On a related note, Monica22 has recently shared with the forum community how important it is for her to acknowledge that she is unique, and that she has a problem with the labels. I tend to share her sentiments, but am curious what forum members think regarding elements of the condition that we all might share. Such shared ideas might be particularly insightful, telling, and educational to identify our commonalities in terms of personality and temperment beyond simply the physiological disposition that we all obviously share.

If I may ask, do you think your particular bipolar experience is unique and simply happens to align with Dr. Jamison? Or, do you think Dr. Jamison perhaps relates experience that is maybe moreless universal?

bipolarchld2

11/21/07 7:44am

Well, for instance the way she describes "chasing those initial manic highs" before the meds, mood stabilizers, etc. (she takes lithium by the way, both then and now if I am not mistaken). It is like for me once a pickle you cannot go back to being a cucumber, eh? For instance after the first time the mania crosses the line to psychosis (usually due to lack of sleep for me ) then I could never quite enjoy those manias again without that nagging doubt of " is the mania going to last, then lead to a black depression, or will it continue too long, then lead to psychosis, or will it just be a nice little lift so to speak, then back to normal". Also the way she describes those deep black depressions following mania at times is very prolific and I have been in those depths before, and she seemed to express that quite well. These are only a few of the things she wrote about in her book that I could identify with, but as I said there are many because the bipolar she apparently suffers from seemed to follow my same patterns too. Such as age of onset, symptoms, and progression of the disorder.

Thank you for your interest, Michael.

God Bless.

monica22

11/22/07 2:08am

Michael,

Thanks for the shout out regarding my post on my need for uniqueness. I read Dr. Jamison's book years ago and unfortunately can't quote from it verbatim because it's under my bed with all of my other bipolar books. Heaven forbid one of my new friends would find out I have bipolar. I do remember enjoying Kay's viewpoint because she could see both sides of the coin. She was highly educated on one hand, yet this delayed her diagnosis of herself. I remember something about describing taking a ride on the rings of Saturn while quite manic that I found riveting. I said to myself, "Now you're talking about my kind of mania." I found the book slightly intellectualized and missing a certain gut level honesty compared to other books I'd read. But some of the first person accounts tend to ramble and lose focus so it's kind of six of one half a dozen of another.

I appreciate bipolarchld2 sharing his/her experience with the book on this forum. A special thanks to Michael for posting the thread.

Favorite books on bipolar and why?

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