How To Live With Bipolar

Living with Bipolar Disorder is designed to help patients and their families develop the skills they need to be good consumers of treatment and to become expert partners in the management of this challenging disorder. Drawing on research documenting the strength of combining drug treatments with behavioral interventions for fighting bipolar disorder, the authors of this book take a skill-based, family-and-friends approach to managing the ups and downs commonly experienced with bipolar disorder. Readers will learn how to better recognize mood shifts before they happen, minimize their impact, and move on with their lives. Family members will learn how to recognize potential problems, provide encouragement, practice new coping skills, and understand what a loved one is going through. Living with Bipolar Disorder provides worksheets and forms to help readers reinforce skills and practices learned in therapy, as well as useful information about the details of living with bipolar disorder, advice on the best ways to avoid relapses, and strategies for anticipating problems. In this new edition, the authors have expanded the text to reflect the newest advances in research on the management of bipolar disorder, adding the latest in drug information, advice on selecting a therapist, a discussion of the challenges of transitioning from adolescence to adulthood with bipolar, managing stress, improving relationship and communication skills both with the family and with one's clinician, and more. Living with Bipolar Disorder offers a wealth of effective strategies to reduce the likelihood of episodes of depression or mania and maximize the enjoyment of life.

An essential resource for anyone who has a close relationship with a person who is bipolar This book provides a much-needed resource for family and friends of the more than 5 million American adults suffering from bipolar disorder. From psychotic behavior that requires medication to milder mood swings with disturbing ups and down, this book offers a warm and often humorous user-friend guide for coping with bipolar loved ones, colleagues, and friends. The book includes Guidance for identifying bipolar disorder symptoms and how to get the diagnosis confirmed Strategies for dealing with rants, attacks, blame, depression, mania and other behaviors Crucial information on medication and its effectiveness and potential side-effects Techniques for dealing with attempts to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol How many people with bipolar disorders can care for themselves, get help, feel supported and go on with their own lives This important book contains real-life illustrative examples and a wealth of helpful strategies and coping mechanisms that can be put into action immediately.

Revised and updated, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder is a groundbreaking, comprehensive program to help those with bipolar disorder—and those who care about them—gain permanent control over their lives. Most people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are sent home with the name of a doctor and multiple prescriptions. However, few people with bipolar disorder are able to find long-term stability with medications alone. Bipolar disorder researcher and expert Julie A. Fast, who was diagnosed with the illness at age thirty-one, and specialist John Preston, PsyD, offer the pioneering Take Charge program used around the world to help readers promote stability, reduce mood swings, increase work ability, decrease health care costs, and improve relationships. The book guides those with bipolar disorder and their loved ones toward a comprehensive personal treatment plan by incorporating: Medications and bipolar-safe supplements Lifestyle changes that help manage bipolar symptoms naturally Behavior modifications that reduce and prevent symptoms Guidelines on assembling an effective support team By helping readers gather powerful strategies, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder delivers a dynamic program to treat this difficult but ultimately manageable illness.

Do you have lots of questions about bipolar (formerly manic depression) but have no idea who to ask? Well, this is the perfect guide for you! With answers to 125 questions, this is a valuable resource for those suffering with bipolar disorder. Having a mood disorder can make life difficult to cope with. Sometimes you may be restless and full of energy, and other times you may feel empty and sad. But now you can get the help you need. If you suffer from bipolar disorder, you may ask yourself things like: How do I know if I have bipolar? What are some coping skills for depression? Can someone with bipolar have a normal marriage? How should I deal with a panic attack? Do you lack guilt while in a manic episode? With information taken from her over 800 answers on Quora, the author of this book is the top-viewed writer with 13 million views to date. She is also a Registered Nurse. The questions and answers in this book will deal with the most common queries that you may have about coping with bipolar, depression, mania, psychosis, anxiety and relationships. Reading this book, you'll feel like you're having an informal chat with a friend, thanks to the author's relaxed but informative approach. You will also be sharing her own personal stories of how she has dealt with bipolar. The advice in this book is presented in a friendly and sometimes humorous way. You'll also learn the coping mechanisms that are essential to living with a mental health condition. How to Live with Bipolar is the ultimate self-help book for people with bipolar depression, mania or psychosis. Through the education and advice contained in these pages, you'll also learn how to cope with anxiety and overcome feelings of hopelessness or inferiority. Don't let bipolar rule your life - take control of your mental health forever!

A practical and authoritative guide to bipolar disorder: its causes, current treatments and strategies for managing the illness and living well.

An empathetic guide to recognizing and overcoming the chronic mood disorder Bipolar II, a rapidly increasing DSM diagnosis affecting over 9 million Americans.

From the initial diagnosis through recovery and transformation, this handbook offers positive, real-life solutions and support from one who not only suffers from the condition herself but has experienced it with her mother and her daughter. Her handy guide offers firsthand advice on how to lead a fulfilling life despite having this debilitating mental-health condition. In a practical, candid tone, the book focuses on addressing personal questions that arise following a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Among the topics considered are the basics of functioning, living, and dealing with people on an everyday basis, how to negotiate treatment, handle family and friends, maintain a positive image, and make a living.

The first book to tackle one of the leading concerns of women with manic depression and related disorders You have bipolar disorder and want to start a family. There is so much to know and manage when thinking about becoming pregnant and having an optimal pregnancy and postpartum period. What are the risks? Can I go off my meds? How will my partner react? Will my child also become bipolar? How do I navigate through the often confusing and ever-changing research on mental disorders and pregnancy? Kristin K. Finn was diagnosed with manic depression as a teenager. Upon deciding to become pregnant, she and her husband also had questions, concerns, and fears. Recognizing that there was no go-to guide that helps women with manic depression navigate pre-natal, pregnancy, and postpartum issues, Finn collaborated with geneticists, obstetricians, psychologists, and psychiatrists to bring you this ultimate support-group-in-a-book and pregnancy resource. In Bipolar and Pregnant, Finn shares her insights and techniques that she developed through two pregnancies, as well as the advice of her esteemed team of experts. In addition, Bipolar and Pregnant: Provides information on medical aspects of pregnancy and gives advice on minimizing the risks of psychiatric flare-ups, avoiding episodes, monitoring behavior, and preparing to go off mediation as pregnancy looms. Discusses medical aspects of pregnancy, preparing for pregnancy, and optimizing the chances of getting pregnant Provides the latest research on medications used to treat bipolar disorder and their effect on developing babies. You and your entire support team will be armed with the knowledge necessary to help you optimize your pregnancy, subside anxiety, and feel confident that you are doing the very best for you and your new family.