Table of Contents
Foreword xiii
Introduction xv
1 The Basics of Bipolar Disorder 1
What Is Bipolar Disorder? 1
Manic Episodes 2
Depressive Episodes 5
The History of the Disorder 7
Major Types of Bipolar Disorder 8
Cyclothymia 14
Other Variations 15
2 How Do You Know If You're Bipolar? 18
Mistaking Bipolar Disorder for "Normal" 18
General Warning Signs 21
What Puts You at Risk of Bipolar? 23
Risk Factors You Can't Control 23
Risk Factors You May Be Able to Influence 24
Behavioral Extremes and Private Thoughts 25
See a Doctor 27
Get a Second Opinion 29
Evolving Knowledge of Bipolar Disorder 31
3 Comparing Bipolar Disorder to Other Disorders 34
Varieties of Personality and Mood Disorders 34
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) 35
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 37
Post-Traumatic Stress and Other Anxiety Disorders 38
Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) 39
Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder 41
Major Depressive Disorder and Substance Use Disorders 42
4 Who Gets Bipolar Disorder? 45
Important Factors 45
Are Some People More Likely to Have Bipolar Disorder? 47
Famous People with Bipolar Disorder 48
Bipolar Creativity 50
Women and Bipolar Disorder 53
Bipolar Disorder in Perspective 55
5 What Causes Bipolar Disorder? 57
Biological Differences 57
The Challenge of Understanding Mental Disorders 59
Genetics and Bipolar Disorder 60
The Interaction of Genes and Environment 62
Life Experience Matters 64
6 Pharmacological Treatment for Bipolar Disorder 66
Stages of Treatment 66
History of Treatment 67
Mood Stabilizers 70
Antidepressants 72
Antipsychotics 75
Antianxiety Drugs 77
Finding the Right Medication(s) 78
What to Know about Side Effects 79
Working with Your Doctor 84
7 Psychotherapy and Other Methods for Dealing with Bipolar Disorder 86
When Medication Is Not Enough 86
Acceptance 87
Finding the Right Therapy 88
Diet and Exercise 94
Support Groups 96
Alternative and Nontraditional Approaches 97
Getting Help with Other Problems 101
8 What Happens Without Treatment? 103
Suicide and Bipolar Disorder 103
Other Risk Factors 105
How Loved Ones Are Affected 106
When Patients Accept Diagnosis but Treatment Fails 109
When Patients Accept Diagnosis but Resist Treatment 111
When Patients Resist Diagnosis and Treatment 115
9 Telling Others You Have Bipolar Disorder 116
Why Do You Want to Tell? 116
Achieving Honesty 119
Telling People in Your Personal Life 121
Telling People in Your Professional Life 123
Fielding Questions 127
You Don't Have to Tell Everyone 129
10 Lifestyle Choices 131
Finding the Right Job 131
What If You Feel You Cannot Work? 134
People to Avoid 136
People to Seek Out 138
Clearing Out Chaos 140
Replace Fanaticism with Tranquility 143
11 Developing a Good Self-Image 145
Dealing with the Past 145
Dealing with Family Shame 147
Getting Your Priorities in Order 149
(Self-)Honesty Is the Best Policy 150
Learning to Problem Solve 153
12 Managing Mania 156
Be Prepared 156
Warning Signals 160
Protect Your Personal Life 162
Protect Your Assets 164
Protect Your Professional Life 167
13 Dealing with Depression 169
Sadness, Mild Depression, and Chronic Depression 169
Preventing Depression 172
A Low-Stress Home 174
What to Do If You're Depressed 175
If Depression Escalates 177
Dealing with the Aftermath 179
14 Staying in Control 181
Learning from Bipolar 181
Turn Your Focus to Others 184
Learning from Setbacks 185
Accepting Limitations 188
Setting Goals for the Future 190
15 If You Know Someone Who You Think Is Bipolar 194
Look at Yourself First 194
When to Intervene 197
Expressing Your Concerns 198
Formal Interventions 201
Dealing with the Aftermath 203
Protect Yourself 204
16 If You Know Someone Who Has Bipolar Disorder 206
Life with a Spouse with Bipolar Disorder 206
Life with a Parent with Bipolar Disorder 209
Life with a Sibling with Bipolar Disorder 212
Life with Relatives Who Have Bipolar Disorder 215
Life with a Friend with Bipolar Disorder 216
Life with a Boss or Coworker with Bipolar Disorder 218
17 Riding the Roller Coaster of Another Person's Moods 222
When a Loved One Is Manic 222
Handling a Psychiatric Emergency 224
When a Loved One Is Depressed 226
Taking Action versus Distancing Yourself 228
Dealing with Caregiver Stress 231
Your Protection 233
Your Options 234
18 Ongoing Controversies 237
How Can You Classify Mood Disorders? 237
Bipolar Moods and Normal Moods 238
Anti-Medication/Anti-Psychiatry 241
Good Pharmaceutical Industry or Bad Drug Companies? 244
Privacy Issues 246
Forced Treatment 247
The Insanity Defense 249
19 Where Do You Go from Here? 251
Summary 251
Steer Clear of Excuses 253
Bipolar Disorder and the Future 255
Finding Role Models 258
You Are Never Alone 260
Appendix A Symptoms Checklists 262
Appendix B Additional Resources 265
Index 268
