Reddit mentions: The best books about bipolar disorder

Springtime and to a lesser extent fall are especially tricky times for people with Bipolar.
Has she signed releases so you can talk freely with her caregivers about your concerns? It helps to form an alliance with them and develop a crisis plan in advance. I would push her Doctors to discuss a broader range of options. If you doubt them, I would ask for a medication second opinion referral. In most regions there are Doctors who are known to be specialist in different illnesses. You might have to pay out of pocket for this but it may bring some peace of mind that you have educated yourself on all options.

Most of all I recommend joining local support groups for these two organizations.
[National Alliance for Mental Illness]
(http://www.nami.org/) for friends and family

For people with mood disorders I recommend:
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

I live in New England and both organizations are very helpful in providing emotional support and ideas for how to cope. Best of all they are free so your Insurance company can not limit access.

The best books I have read on management of Bipolar are: [The Bipolar Workbook]
(http://www.amazon.com/The-Bipolar-Workbook-Controlling-Swings/dp/1593851626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333669671&sr=1-1) by Monica Ramirez Basco

and with more of a emphasis on relationships:[Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide] (http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Second-Edition/dp/1606235427/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333669671&sr=1-3) by David J. Miklowitz PhD

I would suggest using the library to make sure they are a good fit.

One last resource I recently ran across recently, is a hour plus lecture on relating and understanding someone with Bipolar. I have not read Dr. Jay Carter's books yet but I did find this video helpful to understand how sometimes very good, loving, solid people can act really irrational when manic, mixed or depressed. There is some dance elements that I found cheesy but hey, its free to view!
[Bipolar Insights with Dr. Jay]
(http://bipolarlight.com/index2.html)

Good Luck and take care of yourself!

I hope you don't mind a long story and that it somehow answers your question, because I'm not sure how to answer it.

Although I was officially diagnosed with Bipolar Type II at age 25, I've been told that I may really have cyclothymic disorder, which is an even lesser form of bipolar than Bipolar Type II. I've been told by more than one doctor and therapist that I'm one of the most high functioning bipolar people they've ever seen - I have always held down high paying steady jobs, I've never had any drug/alcohol issues, I've never had issues with money, I've never had an incident where I had to go to a mental facility, I've gone to therapy steadily for years, etc. The few people I told I was bipolar after I was diagnosed were surprised, because they knew me before I was diagnosed and they thought I was fairly "normal." When I was diagnosed, I had a discussion with myself and figured I was going to be on the meds for the rest of my life, that I was mostly OK with not having children naturally, that I could just adopt. Hindsight is 20/20 and it seems pretty stupid now, but when I married my husband at age 27, a real discussion on children never came about, we just both knew we nebulously wanted kids.

At age 31 my husband says he's ready to have kids. We discussed my mental illness and how I was OK with adopting, but he wanted kids naturally, and honestly I still wanted to have kids naturally too. I talked with my psychiatrist at the time about having kids naturally, and he said that he had other female patients who had kids naturally while being bipolar, but that it took work - I'd be seeing him and my therapist more than usual to have them monitor me, plus my psych wanted to switch me to Geodon during the pregnancy. I didn't want to be on any medicines while trying to have a kid, which didn't please my psych, but he said OK, we can try that, but if things get to be too much, I was going to take the Geodon.

For six months I was off all bipolar meds - frankly it sucked but I was dealing with it fairly well. However, I was not getting pregnant. Even though most literature says wait a year before you go see a fertility specialist if you are under 35, I told my ob/gyn that because I was off my bipolar meds I really wanted to see a fertility specialist NOW because I didn't think I could handle another six months being off the meds. So we go off to see three fertility specialists over 2.5 years (long story), get all sorts of tests done and find out both my husband and I have fertility issues - I don't ovulate hard enough (which is fixable), but my husband's testosterone and sperm count is really low and that's not-so-fixable. The last fertility specialist said that his sperm count was so low that even IVF wouldn't work and that it would be best to use donor sperm, which my husband was not in favor of. During those 2-2.5 years I finally got on the Geodon (which REALLY wasn't a good fit for me - hello sleeping 20 hours a day and sky high anxiety), then finally gave up on the Geodon and went back to Lamictal and Abilify.

For another six months my husband and I just sort of took an unofficial break from the whole fertility process. I finally told him in a discussion that I just couldn't do the IVF even if his sperm count was higher, that being off my meds for awhile and then being on Geodon was bad enough, but that IVF makes normal women go nuts with the hormonal changes, thus it would probably be 10X worse for me. I was perfectly fine with fostering or adopting. He still wanted to think things through some more to figure out what he wanted.

We had been told that with both our fertility issues, we had a better chance of winning the lottery than having a kid naturally. So we didn't use any birth control, because hey, what was the point? It was literally a few weeks to a month later after the "I don't want to do IVF" discussion that my husband gets a full physical, comes home, and tells me his testosterone level is in the normal but low range. A few days before that I was wondering why my period was taking so long, but that has happened to me more than once so I didn't think it was any big deal. However, with my husbands new information, I took the last pregnancy test I had in my bathroom and found out I was pregnant. I was like, WTF. I go see the ob/gyn the next day and a sonogram confirms I'm 4 weeks pregnant. I see my (newer) psych (the old psych wasn't taking my insurance anymore) as soon as I can and we both agree I need to gradually but quickly decrease my meds until I'm not on them anymore. My original post pretty much tells the rest of the story.

So is it worth the risk? I really don't know, partially because this pregnancy isn't done yet. I am pro-choice, so if any of the tests showed something was wrong with the fetus, I would have no issues aborting. If I was bipolar type I (e.g., where one goes psychotic manic) there would be NO WAY I was having kids naturally. However, which me having such a mild form of bipolar disorder and being so high functioning, my doctors have never said I shouldn't try to have kids.

My advice would be to talk to take a look at your past history with your psychiatrist, therapist, ob/gyn, and see what they all have to say. In writing this whole mini-autobiography, it reminded me that I had read this book before the whole pregnancy journey 3 years ago, which had some good tips:

Bipolar and Pregnant: How to Manage and Succeed in Planning and Parenting While Living with Manic Depression
http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Pregnant-Planning-Parenting-Depression/dp/0757306837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347639402&sr=8-1&keywords=bipolar+pregnancy

YMMV - I liked it but I can understand why some people gave it a one-star rating. There is another book on Amazon that looks pretty good and I think I'm going to pick up:

Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting: Emotions, Mental Health, and Happiness -- Before, During, and After Pregnancy
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Your-Moods-Youre-Expecting/dp/0547053622/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347639402&sr=8-2&keywords=bipolar+pregnancy

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them to the best of my ability / experience. I hope all this information is some what helpful to you.

One thing that is not communicated well enough is that BP leans to serious cognitive dysfunction at work and in social life. Hope is not lost, cognitive remediation has been shown to lead to improvements. That is, cognitive exercise and practice and focus on developing certain skills leads to increased outcomes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171016132756.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Functional-Remediation-Bipolar-Disorder-Eduard/dp/1107663326

https://www.reddit.com/r/bipolar/comments/bk3c44/books_and_websites_for_bipolar_cognitive_therapy/

Basically the stress of episodes is neurotoxic for the brain, a lot of what you are experiencing is because of the brain adapting to all of this stress the best it can which is bad or unhelpful long term. A lot of this brain training remediation is just computer challenges, and they set up life situations for you to navigate, but basically you just have to keep trying to acclimatize yourself to the world and get good feedback and you can get better and better.

I would say take the position, make sure in the first few months you take extra care to take care of yourself and get good sleep etc, work through issues systematically, and it can be good for you. You can learn to think about things differently, and your brain can change so that you're less taxed. You definitely can't just keep coping how you are coping and do more, your brain needs to change, but with the stress state, cortisol, neuroplasticity isn't going to be easy, so you have to go at it from all angles, be willing to try new things.

Good luck!

BP 2, here. Is your gf on any kind of medication? Honestly, it doesn't sound like it, or if she is, she needs a higher dose.

There is a TON of info about bipolar disorder, and a large amount of information for loved ones who have a family member with bp. You just gotta look a bit harder.

Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder
and
The Bipolar Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know.

These are both great books. I can attest for the latter, especially. It has helped my mother and sister understand me a bit more.

Also, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness is truly an amazing book. It was the first time I felt like there were other people who got it, who understood. I highly recommend it for both you and your girlfriend. I wish I could emphasize just how much I recommend that book. It is really wonderful.

Most of all, your girlfriend needs to take a bit of responsibility for what is going on with her. Medicine and therapy.

Bipolar disorder is not something that goes away. But it is manageable. It took me almost 10 years to get my meds right, and find a place where I am improving - but you know what? I AM improving. Every day is a fight. But it is a fight worth winning.

I wish you all the luck. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Edit: After re-reading your post, I question if maybe you aren't spending too much time with your friend. I get he needs support, but you can't be his crutch. I could definitely understand if you're girlfriend is feeling a bit of resentment.

You took the first step posting here. On behalf of your hubby...thank you.

They may not have told you this, but here's the facts: SSRIs, like Prozac, can and very often will induce mania in bipolar individuals if not balanced against a mood stabilizer like depakote, lithium, etc. This almost certainly contributed to your husband's mental state.

I very, very strongly recommend buying The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide. This gave me so much footing to stay grounded on when I was diagnosed in November. It has information about bipolar, triggers to mood states, coping strategies, mood tracking/managing strategies, a section devoted to how to support your bipolar loved one as a family member or friend, seriously. Buy this book as soon as possible. The author has years of experience working with bipolar individuals and brings that in full force to the book.

Lastly, post here. Talk to us about what's happening, questions, frustrations. This subreddit isn't just for bipeeps, it's also for their loved ones. Have a seat at the table. You and your family have taken the first step towards stability and getting your husband the help he needs.

How old is your daughter? I know of a few books that might be able to help.

1. The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Second-Edition/dp/1606235427/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=185VDHE67X9K5HTZHGCD
   
   
2. If Your Child Is Bipolar
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Your-Child-Bipolar-Parent-Parent/dp/1930085060
   
   
3. Loving Someone With Bipolar Disorder (this one is geared towards romantic partners, but I've heard decent things about it... might be worth a shot)
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Loving-Someone-Bipolar-Disorder-Understanding/dp/1608822192
   
   
4. The Bipolar Teen
   
   http://www.amazon.com/The-Bipolar-Teen-Child-Family-ebook/dp/B005D5ASL8
   
   Have you considered counselling? Often, the people supporting the person with bipolar need support just as much as the person with bipolar does. There are also support groups that exist for family members and loved ones.
   
   Good luck!

Probably a lot of readers of /r/water have read Cadillac Desert.

I own a copy of, and have made two false starts reading, The King Of California as recommend by the anonymous author of the blog On The Public Record.

I highly recommend A Great Aridness, a worthy heir to Cadillac Desert.

Also on my to-read list is Rising Tide. I would like to find a book that does for the Great Lakes what Marc Reisner did for water in the American West with his book Cadillac Desert.

A few things I've read this year that have little to do with water:

• The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
  
• The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind
  
• The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2
  
• The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies
  
• Citizenville: How to Take the Town Square Digital and Reinvent Government
  

There's a lot of literature available these days;

• An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
  
  
  
• The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, Second Edition: What You and Your Family Need to Know by David J. Miklowitz
  
  
  
• Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me: A Graphic Memoir by Ellen Forney
  
  These three come to mind, the most frequently recommended ones. I've read the first one and it explains a lot of how someone who suffers from BP I (or manic-depressive illness) leads his or her life.
  
  Other than that, reading about other People's Experience that have lived and live with this illness may prove helpful as well. You can find a lot of very useful insight into what bipolar disorder really implies in this subrredit.
  
  Finally, above all, take your time to listen to her, truly do, and do your best to understand what is going through her mind. We experience very complicated feelings and emotions, incredibly extreme at times, so be aware of that. This doesn't mean we are crazy though, it only means we are more "sensitive", if you will, which means being understanding, compassionate, loving and caring play a huge role in a relationship.
  
  You'll catch the drift quickly enough, trust me, and then it'll be just like any other relationship, with the possible hiccup here and there.
  
  Few people care to understand this illness, glad you're doing so. An example to follow, if I may.
  
  

In-school counseling is good, but have you thought about taking him to an actual therapist? My daughter's seeing one who specializes in gifted kids, and it's been doing her a world of good. She's becoming more mature and responsible, her attitude toward academics has improved dramatically, and she's picked up a lot of empathy and understanding about how to interact with less-gifted peers.

Just as importantly, the therapist meets with my husband and me every couple of weeks to touch base with us about our daughter and to teach us how we should be working with her.

Mine is young enough that any specific advice from the therapist I could pass on wouldn't be terribly useful for dealing with a 6th grader, but I can share some of the books our therapist has given us about dealing with gifted kids:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0910707898/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593634900/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0910707677/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Drugs will help with all those and it sounds like you know you need to take them.

Your parents are going to need to educate themselves. I always recommend Stephen Fry's BBC documentary on bipolar. His diagnosis process is filmed as part of it, so they can see what that's like - "they just ask a bunch of questions" - and why it can take only an hour. There's a section on childhood and adolescent bipolar that might be helpful. One caveat. Fry decides not to take his meds at the end of it, something he has changed his mind about after another suicide attempt. It's free on youtube. Part 1 and Part 2

Kaiser recommends The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide which would be good for you and them to read. Meds are essential to treating bipolar, but there's other stuff you should be doing as well - mood tracking, planning ahead to deal with episodes, CBT...

You might want to see if there are any friends and family DBSA groups in your area they could go to. (Or a DBSA peer group for yourself) You can look that up here. Good luck.

Good question and I should qualify I’m not a physicist but Dr. Michio Kaku wrote a pretty good book outlining his reasons why that statement is true. The Future of the Mind Great read.

Edit: Name spelling

of course!

Actually and if you are interested. I really really enjoyed this little book. And i bet you could get it at the library if not amazon. But go look into it!

And I included the link- because I realized I'm always like YEAH I'LL READ IT, and then i forget. so boom. CLICK IT IT'S A BOOK

I'm telling you- I'm literally writing and finishing my dissertation. There's a SUPER adhd friendly and easy book called "Understanding Sensory Dysfunction" by Polly Godwin Emmons and Liz McKendry Anderson


(and the smaller font says "learning, development and sensory dysfunctioning in autism spectrum disorders, adhd, learning disabilities and bipolar disorder)

It may well be the case people are predisposed towards certain ends through strictly biological determinations. But it doesn't then follow by necessity that we have to slavishly act them out to their ultimate conclusions.

We are not mindless preprogrammed machines, you know? Sure Dawkins might like you to believe that. But he's a fool. So...

You know the mind originally referred to the soul and the soul had a causal structure that had to be followed through in order for it to function, kind of like an instruction manual?

Well with modern science that was junked so man could work out the workings of nature. That's where the idea material things work like a machine come from -- unlike us humans all nature is dumb, including animals, including our biology even, because matter doesn't have intelligence - souls/minds. So we gave up the inner wisdoms found in the creation of soul and picked up knowledge through observational enquiry of outer space instead. No need to meditate because the state will look after the public and common Good from now on.

So that's how I'd explain the problem with material reduction -- via the stupidity of man. In fact the whole universe is alive and conscious. But don't tell western man about it because he'll think you're crazy.

I'd add there's only one certainty in life and it's this -- nature has a 100% winning record. Go with nature, go against nature, and guess what? nature wins both ways. But the easy way is to go with nature.

So we can pretend that nature is stupid, we are clever and reality works like a machine and scientific theory born of material causes is really significant. But don't expect nature to fall for it.

> No matter which qigong method we discuss, "naturalness" is always conditional. Letting things take their own course means letting things take their own course in a subconscious state. If we can do this, it means that our internal signals are coming out.

Have you read any books on modern psychiatry or the pharmaceutical industry?

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Fixers-Psychiatrys-Troubled-Biology/dp/0393071227/

I found this book to be extremely helpful post diagnosis. I think one of the best things that you can do is to let your brother know that you [and family] are there to support him as best you can. Assure him that you might always know exactly what he's going through or how he feels, but you will do your best; that you are there if he needs someone to talk to and there if he needs advice (only give it if he asks for it).

Sometimes I just want someone to talk to so that I can vent about how I feel, how things are effecting me, etc. and I don't want advice on how to deal with it, fix it, or anything else unless I explicitly ask for it.

Also best you educate yourself about this disease, books that helped me:-

• I'm not sick, I don't need help - learn the LEAP technique
  
  
• Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide - in Part III, Pratical Strategies for Staying Well is quite helpful, IMHO.
  
  
• Loving someone with bipolar disorder - quote: "If you want to have a happy, healthy, and stable relationship, you have to treat bipolar disorder first.".
  
  Distraction and breathing techniques didn't help for my bipolar SO. Maybe that's her.

Hey there!

Above all else, I really recommend getting The Bipolar Survival Guide

It will help you and your husband figure out how to handle it, what the effects are, and what it means for him. I'm in the process of reading it, and for those with the disorder as well as those around them, it reveals a lot about the dynamics of bipolar that people don't think of.

Start from there. It contains a really handy mood charting guide - Basically, every day you chart your mood from one to ten, and you can even choose to do it by hour. At the end of the day, you write a couple of sentences on what you did that day and how you feel as a result, and over the course of weeks you can establish a baseline of mood, and how changes can effect it. That helps identify triggers as well as techniques that can help the person deal with swings in mood or emotion.

I don't doubt that NAMI helps some, but what I'm saying is that it could be better. Early-intervention programs (that includes multifamily support/family therapy) should take precedence, but as of right now, it is few and far in between because this model is radically and innovative. NAMI falls outside of the clinical offerings which has its pros and cons.

While I've only skimmed the sample pages, which looks good so far in explaining things for a layperson, I would suggest this newly released book. FWIW it's by my clinician so I do have a bias.

Check out the books below, especially the first book. Also contact local NAMI for support.

1. I Am Not Sick I Don't Need Help! - Xavier F Amador Ph.D.
   
2. Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder - John D. Preston, PsyD
   
3. The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, Second Edition - David J. Miklowitz, PhD
   
   First step is to establish trust with the L.E.A.P technique from first book. Without that, the rest of the books doesn't mean much. Know that the bipolar brain is NOT the same as normal brain. All those marriage books or marriage therapist (that doesn't acknowledge the underlying BP issue) doesn't amount to much either.
   
   Next, the child's future comes first (don't care what they say about emergency in plane, have to put mask on self first, total BS when it comes to this context). You have to find ways to create a "happy and safe" environment for your children to grow up and protect this environment. Your own well being comes next. It is hard being stuck in a livelong caretaker role over this chronic incurable disease. The second book will help sort out all the feelings.
   
   Third book contains a number of worksheets and practical advice on daily living with bipolar, lots of info on medication and side effects. How to identify early warning signs of Mania, preventive steps, etc.
   
   Google 'Bipolar Treatment Contract'. That is also important to discuss it with him when he's stable.
   
   So ya, all 3 books are required reading if you ask me. If he attends therapy sessions, the things you read from the book will be repeated there. If the therapist is bad and differs from what's recommended in the book, look for a new one before it does more damage to your SO's mental health or your relationship.

I'm not a dr but maybe they meant the combo is not used? I am on lithium and I had thought it was still one of the most research-backed meds for treating BPD (when effective). Lithium was recommended to me 2 years ago by a couple psychiatrists I trust as being the "gold standard" (their phrase not mine). Also, this book as a good chapter on meds. Not sure how up to date it is though: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1606235427/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468942616&sr=1-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=david+miklowitz&dpPl=1&dpID=41oMwdu2SDL&ref=plSrch

I feel you. I feel like at the end of the day it's all about stability and Buddhism had a lot of great ideas on how to live your life. I recently found out about a book called "Bipolar In Order" by Tom Wooton that I became very interested in, because it focuses on the positivity and stability that IS achievable. Haven't bought it yet, but plan on reading it very soon. Amazon link here: http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-In-Order-Depression-Hallucination/dp/0977442349

I cannot comment on 'The Bipolar Workbook' but "The Bipolar Survival Guide " has been a lifesaver! It is very well written and oraganized.

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, people here are great... that's what prompted me to post this, even if I'm not going "through hell" as before, and as many people here are.

Book here. Thanks!

For me psychoeducation has been key to improving my insight. I am a reader, so I'll recommend two for you, if you're interested.

First up, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I33KQGY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

This one is a workbook that helps you figure out what your symptoms look like, what your triggers are, and presents some strategies for coping with them.

https://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Guide-Second/dp/1606235427

This is a pretty comprehensive book. Have just started it, but I see it often recommended around the bipolar subreddits and I like it so far. It covers everything from medications to therapy methods, warning signs to strategies.

It is possible. One thing I would recommend is to start out by reading books written for people with bipolar actually before doing like a google search. Books like that seem to have a "you can do this" attitude and can give you a good foundation of understanding in a slightly separated way. (Recommendation: http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Guide-Second/dp/1606235427/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414328331&sr=1-1&keywords=bipolar+survival+guid) A lot of what's online is a snapshot of someone desperately searching for help in their most troubling moments, with little follow-up on how the issue was resolved, so I think there's more room for potential triggering. Obviously I find this forum very helpful, but if you are in a very fragile state, you might want to post your own problems and not read others, then use it to relate to others and pay it forward when you are in a more stable place. I do think it's good to talk things out, but you have to be very careful to only talk to people who are supportive and understanding about mental illness.

The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide was recommended by our counselor and it seems pretty good so far. It's relatively cheap and, even better, it's on audible.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1606235427/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1418269682&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

The future of the mind by michio kaku

I read it last year and it blew my mind. Your boyfriend will love it. Check out his other books also, i think your boyfriend will really like him

"The mind is, what the brain does"

"You" are just the sum of all the experiences and information processed by your brain. In theory, if you could do a brain transplant you could actually be in another persons body.

All the Information that makes you is encoded in your brain.

It is even hypothesized that you could, one day, extract all the information of you brain (called a connectum) and store it on something like a computer.

You could then use this connectum to re-create your brain, essentially restoring "you" from a backup. While this is all technology that's maybe centuries away, it does not contradict any of our scientific theories.

If you are interested in more information, check out this book:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Future-Mind-Scientific-Understand/dp/038553082X

I've found this book incredibly helpful. It includes instructions on creating a plan when you or your friends and family recognize escalation. I'm new to this whole thing and am grateful I got myself a copy.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1606235427/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1398827150&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

Edit. Personally I've had to stay away from drugs and alcohol and found that a regular exercise routine stabilizes me and lessens the depression (unless of course it's really bad). I got me some kettlebells and do the workouts at dailyburn.com at home.

So there is a book, Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, Ocd, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders. I didn't really dig it overmuch when I read/browsed through it, but it may be worth looking at. I think it helped me decide that the diagnosis wasn't just a mistake for me.

Edit: And let me add: when I'm not running into anxieties, I usually like the inside of my head from moment to moment too, though I don't like how those moments all play out. I hop from puzzle to puzzle, often switching to something new before the details of what I've been working on have been ironed out. This makes me bad at communicating or transmitting my insights. But it's often fun!

OP, thank you for making an optimistic post, it always pisses me off that whenever this happens someone comes and tries to tank it as if all the work we have to do for not tanking ourselves wasn’t hard enough, as if good days and good perspectives aren’t allowed. Scientific approaches in the psychiatric field are always changing, no one is doing studies to see if our disorder has a cure like with schizophrenia or ADHD or EDs, but I think that if they can make relevant changes, we also can... I’d recommend you to read Back to Normal and Dante’s Cure

I highly recommend "The Bipolar Suvival Guide"

http://amzn.com/1606235427

Understanding bipolar is a long process and should be treated as an ongoing education, not a quick fix. I recommend you and your loved one read through this.

I can't cite exact page numbers right now, but the book Back To Normal: Why Ordinary Childhood Behavior Is Mistaken for ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder has some good information in the earlier chapters on the raised amounts of time committed to "academic" work in early school grades, and lowered opportunities for "play." Mostly kindergarten and first grade.

Please note that I am not using "self-discipline" and "behavior" interchangeably - I'm not saying that we have higher expectations for how kids will behave these days, at all. I think that we somewhat paradoxically have lower expectations for "behavior" (or at least higher tolerance for bad behavior) and higher expectations for "discipline" (by this I mean: ability to make oneself sit and listen for a given period of time as opposed to, say, more play-based learning; ability to get through something like full-day kindergarten with only one - relatively short - recess break, which is what my 5-year old stepson has and which was unheard of when I was a kid; ability to transition easily and quickly from one activity to another when told to; etc). It is possible to have a child be well-behaved but still have problems with the kind of discipline I am talking about in a strict school setting. And please note I'm not saying that all kids have trouble with the discipline required in our current school settings - but just that there is, say, a certain percentage of fidgety, distractable kids who struggle more than others who "drop off" the edge of what is considered normal or acceptable who would not have in the past.

As far as anecdotes from teachers, this isn't really the same, but I found my old elementary school music teacher on FB and asked her if I was just nostalgic for the past or if I was correct in remembering that we didn't generally get homework in kindergarten. She said that in our school we absolutely did not get homework in kindergarten and that she cannot imagine a kindergarten teacher being able to evaluate anything about her students from homework assignments except whose parents were willing to get on their cases how often. Which is how it is for my 5-year old stepson, who does get kindergarten homework. I mean, come on - he's 5. He isn't going to remember that there IS such a thing as homework unless we go and check and then do it with him. lol.

Thanks nice find, I just ordered it!

I also just got Michio Kaku's new book "The Future of the mind"

All of these are useful:

http://www.amazon.com/An-Unquiet-Mind-Memoir-Madness/dp/0679763309/ref=pd_sim_b_1
http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Guide-Second/dp/1606235427/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344813038&sr=1-5&keywords=bipolar+workbooks
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bipolar-Workbook-Controlling-Swings/dp/1593851626/ref=pd_sim_b_5
http://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Way-through-Depression-Unhappiness/dp/1593851286/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344813575&sr=1-1&keywords=mindful+way+through+depression

The last book describes a self-guided therapy that I used to lift myself out of a mixed mood a few years ago. I was willing to do anything to get better and that included doing things that I had little to no faith in but I still had to try. It worked despite my skepticism. I believe in it now.

and then there is the bible of the illness and its treatment. It's massive and very technical (written for medical professionals) but you might find parts of it useful.

http://www.amazon.com/Manic-Depressive-Illness-Disorders-Recurrent-Depression/dp/0195135792/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344813893&sr=1-1&keywords=manic+depressive+illness

Having read them, I can recommend the following:


The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide

Bipolar 101: A Practical Guide to Identifying Triggers, Managing Medications, Coping with Symptoms, and More


Treating Bipolar Disorder - This one is more clinician based, but interesting.


Mindfulness for Bipolar Disorder


Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder

Edited for layout.

Don't forget about the chance of misdiagnosis as ADD/ADHD when the child is actually intellectually gifted/talented. The list of characteristics for each has a lot of overlap. Also, sorry I don't have a better link than that - most of my knowledge comes from books like Webb's on Misdiagnosis & dual diagnoses.

The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, Second Edition: What You and Your Family Need to Know https://www.amazon.com/dp/1606235427/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ktUXAb7NERF76


This book had been incredible for me (BP2) and my wife. Has good info, steps to take, things to remember, descriptions of medications... This has helped a great deal

In my own way, I'll become fixated on an idea or concept - maybe its for a book, or for a website, and I'll write all these notes and stay up late outlining for a project I'll never complete. Recently it was for a podcast with a friend, I walk around brainstorming names and catch lines and what we would cover in the first 10-15 episodes, even though I've never podcasted in my life.

In my unprofessional view, your lack of need for sleep, energy/irritability, outgoing/bubbly personality, and "delusions" of what you can accomplish are what truly throw this into the manic category. The "what" of the studying may change next time, but when you start catching yourself with the other symptons, time to call the Doctor or work on your prevention of cycling up too hard. I recommend the BiPolar Survivor's Guide: https://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Guide-Second/dp/1606235427

I have three books of poetry. I have one book of vignettes about the customers who have gone through my line at my supermarket job, a book of short poems about all the people I met during my time spent in the mental health world, and a book of poems about cats and not having kids. They are 10$ for paperback, 4.99 on kindle, and free on kindle unlimited.

https://www.amazon.com/supermarket-diaries/s?k=supermarket+diaries

https://www.amazon.com/Bed-Name-Nina-Bel%C3%A9n-Robins/dp/0983227543

https://www.amazon.com/T-Gondii-Nina-Belen-Robins/dp/098322756X

Bipolar survival guide:

http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Second-Edition/dp/1606235427

Pretty much covers everything

There's a twenty one week group thing called "Functional Remediation" that is (I think) still in trials.

In the meantime, give your profession a chance.

There's also this at Amazon from 2014 for whatever it's worth:
Functional Remediation for Bipolar Disorder

Hey Michio. Big fan of yours. Read all of your books and am currently reading your newest The Future of the Mind. I just got it a day ago.

Of all the things you have covered, what are you looking forward to the most that you expect to happen within the next 20 years?

Let me recommend this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Bipolar-Disorder-Pilots-Landing/dp/0615406599

The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind by Michio Kaku. Always been a big fan of Michio.

Links to buy from Amazon

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0983227543/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_B2y5AbP36MQ7F

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0983227543/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_d0y5Ab9AXVJVJ

I am reading Michio Kaku's most recent book, The Future of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Disorder-Survival-Second-Edition/dp/1606235427/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370455292&sr=8-1&keywords=bipolar+disorder+survival+guide

Take a 2-BJT current source whose output current equals (VBE / R), and change it to 2-enhancement_mode_MOSFETs. Now your output current equals (VT / R). Note that Iout is not a function of I1.

(Picture from Grebene's book)

(link to Grebene's book)

Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide will help so much.

Bottom line is to establish clear boundaries with the BipolarSO and stop yourself being dragged back into this unhealthy environment. I'd prefer to cut off all ties, however we have a teenager son, so she visits often and we exchange pleasantries.

Helped my bipolarSO recover from 3 major breakdowns and had to deal with 3-4 yearly minor episodes for over a decade. Her last mania episode, she committed adultery, even deny it when confronted. Finally she admitted her infidelity, claims it was a mistake, went for a separation and continued seeing new men.

I honestly won't know how I'd react if she has her next major breakdown. I only hope that my teenage son would not be around to witness the mom in full psychosis, to be restrained by the cops or locked in a fully padded room. Lets pray that the meds will keep her stable.

Agree with gdobssor, quote: "...how terrible his choices were and how little responsibility he took for them, I would still let him back whenever he wanted". Lesson here is: Learn to be selfish since all the self-sacrifice won't cure or save your bipolarSO, it only drains your mental health.

Books that helped somewhat:
> I'm not sick...

> Loving someone with Bipolar Disorder

> Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide

Email me sundressesandsangria@gmail.com if you need someone to talk to about it. It hard for my family to do so.

The book I referred to as "my bible" is The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide . My therapist has also given me chapter every week of another book. I will try to get that title if you interested

Here's her 2006 book:

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Brain-Science-Genius/dp/0452287812

Quick skim: hard to tell if she discerned any thing of note?

You might also want to check out the book

Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, Ocd, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders
ISBN-13: 978-0910707671, ISBN-10: 0910707677
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0910707677/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nZsxybEXVQGN7

Many of the behavioral traits of high IQ / giftedness can look like ADHD, Aspergers, etc. but are normal in context. Diagnosis is supposed to involve impairment, not just personality traits.

Of course I can't possibly say any of this is applicable to you, if the content of the book seems to resonate with you, you'd need to consult a professional who is familiar with the topic.

Here you go! You recommended everything I was going to recommend so I thought I'd make your links easier to click.

>All of these are useful:
>
>An Unquiet Mind
>
>Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide
>
>The Bipolar Workbook: Controlling Swings
>
>The Mindful Way Through Depression
>
>The last book describes a self-guided therapy that I used to lift myself out of a mixed mood a few years ago. I was willing to do anything to get better and that included doing things that I had little to no faith in but I still had to try. It worked despite my skepticism. I believe in it now.
>
>and then there is the bible of the illness and its treatment. It's massive and very technical (written for medical professionals) but you might find parts of it useful.
>
>Manic Depressive Illness: Bipolar Disorders and Recurrent Depression
>

The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, Second Edition: What You and Your Family Need to Know

>There are times where it's hard to tell the difference between "crazy" and "crazy smart".

Not really, "crazy smart" are no more likely to be "crazy" than us normal folk, it's just an unfortunate myth.

Kevin has a history of suicide attempts, but, in addition, each episode of psychosis damages the brain. Yes, it is a struggle to get adequate and appropriate treatment with each hospitalization, as well as clinical treatment. The system, overall, is broken.

See, https://www.amazon.com/Insane-Consequences-Mental-Industry-Mentally/dp/1633882918/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542128742&sr=8-1&keywords=dj+jaffe

> I think it's difficult for anyone to argue that Lutus' position holds any weight.

This reminds me of the many arguments I heard five years ago when I claimed that Asperger's was being way overused by clinicians and was producing an epidemic of misdiagnoses. How could I be so ignorant and irresponsible to say such a thing in a public forum? What about all those suffering people who needed Asperger's therapy, that I was cheating out of treatment?

Then two things happened -- this book "Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, Ocd, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders" and this outcome, in which Allen Frances (editor of DSM-IV) makes the same arguments I made five years ago, as he works to keep Asperger's out of DSM-V.

How difficult is that?

part 2:

books:

copy of chapter "Children of Depressed Parents" from the book The Edge of Darkness by Kathy Cronkite: http://imgur.com/QsW1D,neLcM,KeByl,tKhTz,Y2VzK

http://www.amazon.com/Sorrows-Web-Understanding-Depressed-Children/dp/B004JZX1TE/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1329195154&sr=8-3-spell

http://www.amazon.com/Pregnant-Prozac-Essential-Making-Decision/dp/0762749407/ref=pd_sim_b_3

http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Childs-Guide-Parental-Depression/dp/1929622716/ref=pd_vtp_b_5

http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-House-Maternal-Depression-Children/dp/B003B3NWXU/ref=pd_vtp_b_3

http://www.amazon.com/Deeper-Shade-Blue-Recognizing-Childbearing/dp/0743254759/ref=pd_vtp_b_5

http://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Blues-Every-Depression-During/dp/0385338678/ref=pd_vtp_b_4

http://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Decision-Handbook-Women-Depression/dp/0976581418/ref=pd_vtp_b_5

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Your-Moods-Youre-Expecting/dp/0547053622/ref=pd_vtp_b_8

http://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Postpartum-Anxiety-Workbook-Compulsions/dp/1572245891/ref=pd_vtp_b_7

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Mother-Postpartum-Depression-Support/dp/0425208087/ref=pd_vtp_b_6

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Blue-Surviving-Depression-Anxiety/dp/B004X8W91S/ref=pd_vtp_b_10

http://www.amazon.com/Therapy-Postpartum-Woman-Depression-Clinicians/dp/0415989965/ref=pd_rhf_ee_shvl2

http://www.amazon.com/Sucked-Then-Cried-Breakdown-Margarita/dp/B004J8HXA4/ref=pd_sim_b_6

http://www.amazon.com/Down-Came-Rain-Postpartum-Depression/dp/1401308465/ref=pd_sim_b_4

http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Having-After-Postpartum-Depression/dp/1413473474/ref=pd_sim_b_6

http://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Well-When-Youre-Depressed/dp/1572242515/ref=pd_vtp_b_11

http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Bear-Family-Parent-Disorder/dp/1425929524/ref=pd_vtp_b_2

http://www.amazon.com/My-Mothers-BiPolar-So-What/dp/1419620061/ref=pd_vtp_b_4

http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Pregnant-Planning-Parenting-Depression/dp/0757306837/ref=pd_sim_b_9

http://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-My-Mommy-Gets-Angry/dp/0142403598/ref=pd_vtp_b_4

http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Me-Down-Blues-Depression-Spreading-Families/dp/0312263325/ref=pd_vtp_b_13

http://www.amazon.com/When-Parent-Depressed-Children-Depression/dp/0316738891/ref=pd_vtp_b_6

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Will-Never-Same-Postpartum/dp/0982641001/ref=pd_sim_b_9

http://www.amazon.com/This-Isnt-What-Expected-Overcoming/dp/0553370758

videos: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/depression/video-ch_01.html - pbs out of the shadows (this is a full documentary but it has parts about postpartum depression that I think are worth watching)

check out my original post as well for lots more info.

Things to keep in mind if you are a mother with depression; quotes from two resources:

Harvard maternal postpartum depression links:
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/reports_and_working_papers/working_papers/wp8/

Serious depression in parents and caregivers can affect far more than the adults who are ill. It also influences the well-being of the children in their care. The first joint Working Paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs summarizes recent evidence on the potentially far-reaching harmful effects of chronic and severe maternal depression on families and children. When children grow up in an environment of mental illness, the development of their brains may be seriously weakened, with implications for their ability to learn as well as for their own later physical and mental health. This report examines why the continuing failure to address the consequences of depression for large numbers of vulnerable, young children presents a missed opportunity to help families and children in a way that could support the future prosperity and well-being of society as a whole.


Here is a quote from The Noonday Demon from the section on mothers with depression (my own added comment is in the parentheses and not part of the original quote),

"Depressed mothers are usually not great mothers, though high-functioning depressives can sometimes mask their illness and fulfill their parenting roles," (this is not an insult against depressed parents, it's an inevitable consequence of what happens when you are depressed because you are more irritable, have less energy, can be less outwardly loving, sometimes fail to respond to social cues from your children, possibly unaffectionate and withdrawn...), "In general, the children of a depressed mothers not only reflect but also magnify their mother's state. Even ten years after an initial assessment, such children suffer significant social impairment and are at a threefold risk for depression and a fivefold risk for panic disorders and alcohol dependence. To improve the mental health of children, it is sometimes more important to treat the mother than to treat the children directly..."
***
Resources for men with postpartum depression:

http://www.postpartummen.com/resources.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/postpartum-depression-fathers/story?id=10672383#.TydWX8VAb6k

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32403497/ns/today-relationships/t/new-dads-coping-baby-blues/#.TydWZsVAb6k

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/time-to-focus-on-sad-dads/

book: Kleinman, K. (2001). Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for Living with Postpartum Depression. Xlibris Corporation.