Facing Bipolar

When you travel to a new city, it helps to have a map close at hand. On the first day of school, you need to have your schedule of classes. And if you've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or suspect you may have it, then it's even more important to have a guidebook within reach. Facing Bipolar will help you navigate the world of medications, therapists, and the up-and-down mood cycles common to the disorder. It clearly explains what bipolar disorder is and provides sound guidance for developing the necessary coping skills to manage its impact on your life. In this book you'll discover: How therapy and medications can help When and how to tell your friends, roommates, and teachers The four key factors that will bring more stability to your life How to develop a support network and access college resources Ways to overcome the challenges in accepting this illness

When you travel to a new city, it helps to have a map close at hand. On the first day of school, you need to have your schedule of classes. And if you've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or suspect you may have it, then it's even more important to have a guidebook within reach. Facing Bipolar will help you navigate the world of medications, therapists, and the up-and-down mood cycles common to the disorder. It clearly explains what bipolar disorder is and provides sound guidance for developing the necessary coping skills to manage its impact on your life. In this book you'll discover: •How therapy and medications can help •When and how to tell your friends, roommates, and teachers •The four key factors that will bring more stability to your life•How to develop a support network and access college resources •Ways to overcome the challenges in accepting this illness

“Smith has come through big time with a book about bipolar disorder targeted to teens or 20-somethings experiencing mental illness for the first time.” —The Washington Post Many bipolar books are too clinical, too alarmist, and too clearly written for family members and caretakers of people diagnosed with this mood disorder. Welcome to the Jungle is different. Author Hilary Smith wrote this guide because it is the book she wishes she’d been given when she was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It answers questions, points to resources, and most of all, comes from someone who understands what it’s like to be thrown off course by an overwhelming mental health issue—and what to do afterwards. Just like for everyone else, there are many, many paths that bipolar people can take in life. Learn more about how to live your own life with a mental illness using the help of the insights in Welcome to the Jungle, which covers topics such as: Wrapping your head around triggers, causes of mood swings, medications, and therapists Recovering from mental breakdowns, manic moments, and major depressive episodes Living your life beyond the diagnosis—and helping your family to do the same This book is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any illness or act as a substitute for advice from a doctor or psychiatrist. “This book is flatout fantastic. Funny, smart, and unflinchingly astute, Welcome to the Jungle is exactly the guide you want on your journey from chaos to stability as you learn to manage bipolar disorder.” —Marya Hornbacher, author of Madness: A Bipolar Life

"I wrote Welcome to the Jungle This revised edition comes with a new foreword by the author, a revised and expanded discussion on diagnosis, an updated chapter on medication, a new chapter on alternative approaches, a revised and expanded chapter on symptoms, and updated resources. New research on the causes and risk factors for bipolar disorder are also included along with tools for observing patterns and making gentle changes to daily routines that can have a profound effect. Going bravely where no other bipolar book has gone before Welcome to the Jungle offers devastatingly on-target, honest--and riotously funny--insights into living with bipolar and answers some of the hardest questions facing people newly diagnosed.

For Dr. Wes Burgess, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder means hope-hope for the estimated ten million people who will develop the disorder during their lifetimes, and hope for the families and friends of people who suffer from it. Drawing upon the real questions asked by patients and families during his nearly twenty years as a bipolar specialist, The Bipolar Handbook comprehensively tackles every area of the disorder, from its causes to medical treatment and psychotherapy, to strategies for creating a healthy lifestyle, to the prevention of, coping with, and treatment of bipolar episodes. From the more than five hundred questions and answers, you'll learn: - what to expect when pursuing a diagnosis - how to choose the right doctor or specialist - how to get the disorder under control - what treatments and medication protocols are best for you - how to reduce stress to prevent manic and depressive episodes - what family members and friends can do to support you, and more Dr. Burgess also addresses unique lifestyle concerns facing bipolar individuals. Special chapters on practical strategies for career success, building healthy relationships, issues that specifically affect bipolar women, and coping techniques for families and friends further explore the impact of the disorder on daily life. The Bipolar Handbook's easy-to-access format and full chapter of resources, as well as diagnostic criteria from the American Psychiatric Association and the National Institute for Mental Health, make this a versatile guide-perfect for quick reference and in-depth discovery.

Provides strategies for teenagers to manage their bipolar disorder, describing such tasks as identifying emotions, accepting difficult situations, practicing mindfulness, letting go of negative self-judgments, and creating a crisis plan.

The National Institute of Mental Health states that half of bipolar diagnoses occur before the age of twenty-five, so the teenage years are a prime time for first showing symptoms. There are nearly six million people with bipolar disorder in the United States alone. This book clearly explains the four main types of the disorder, symptoms, getting a diagnosis and dealing with it, medications that are prescribed, support systems, lifestyle changes and strategies to keep calm, self-monitoring plans, and ways to manage school, family, and social life.