Bipolar Disorder For Dummies [Paperback]

Candida Fink (Author), Joe Kraynak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2005

Bipolar Disorder affects many more people than just the 2.5 million Americans who suffer from the disease. Like depression and other serious illnesses, bipolar disorder also affects spouses, partners, family members, friends and coworkers. And, according to the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, 15% of children diagnosed with ADHD may actually be suffering from early-onset of Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar Disorder For Dummies reveals some of the causes and consequences of bipolar disorder, let you in on some crisis survival strategies, and describe ways that friends and family members can support loved ones who have the disease. The book includes an overview of the causes and symptoms of bipolar disorder, explains step-by-step how to obtain an accurate diagnosis, discusses the medications available, and tells what you can and can't do to help someone with the disease. You'll learn:

• The different categories and potential causes of bipolar disorder
• How to select the right mental health specialist
• Managing employment-related issues brought on because of the disorder
• How bipolar disorder affects children
• Advocating for yourself or a loved one
• Planning ahead for manic and depressive episodes
• Selecting the best medications for you—including alternative "natural" treatments
• How to survive an immediate crisis situation
• Identifying triggers and mapping your moods

Complete with fill-in-the-blanks forms and charts, key web site and email addresses, and first-hand accounts from real people, Bipolar Disorder For Dummies gives you the latest information and self-help strategies you and your loved ones need to help everyone affected feel a whole lot better.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Bipolar expert Candida Fink has written a book that explains it clearly, and provides plenty of advice on the latest drugs as well as telling you how to spot early signs of the condition..." (Independent on Sunday, 25^th September 2005)

From the Author

When we sat down to discuss our approach for Bipolar Disorder For Dummies, we considered the audience for the book and decided to address both those who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and their friends and family members. One of the most challenging aspects of bipolar disorder is that although only one person might carry the diagnosis, friends and family members are all affected by bipolar disorder in some way and all play an important role in reducing stress and assisting the person who has bipolar disorder obtain and maintain treatment. 

Both of us (Candida in her practice and Joe in his family) noticed that family members, simply by being uninformed, can unwittingly increase the stress that often triggers a mood episode. The family member who has bipolar disorder is more sensitive to stressors and is the one who eventually "takes the hit" for any dysfunction in the family, and then that person gets tagged as "the problem," which, to say it nicely, sure doesn't help a whole lot. We wanted to ensure that friends and family members are well aware of their roles and responsibilities. By becoming better informed, through our book and other sources of accurate information, family and friends can learn more effective techniques for communicating with one another and building a more effective support network. 

To develop a clearer understanding of what bipolar disorder feels like from the eyes of someone who's living with it, we strongly recommend An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison. Our book is more of a comprehensive how-to manual that discusses the diagnosis and the most effective treatment options currently available. We believe that medication alone is very helpful but often not completely effective, for whatever reason, and we recommend several therapies in addition to medication, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), social rhythm therapy, mindfulness training, and relationship and family therapy. We also discuss alternative therapies, some of which are complete bunk and others of which some people with bipolar disorder have found helpful. By presenting the available tools and helping readers steer clear of ineffective or counterproductive alternatives, we hope to enable those with bipolar disorder and their families, with the guidance of their qualified doctors and therapists, to structure a treatment plan that works most effectively for all involved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (September 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764584510
• ISBN-13: 978-0764584510
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Bipolar
  • #75 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Mood Disorders

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you don't want answers, don't buy this book!, October 31, 2005

By 

E. Ross (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bipolar Disorder For Dummies (Paperback)

BPfD is succinct and practical, offers clear explanations of the disease and its pain. Written from perspective of both patient and loved ones, it is not frightening, falsely cheery, or professionally overbearing. Gives How To lists for pre- and post-diagnosis.

Great book, with an appropriate sense of humour too. I rate it a "must buy".

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Sour For Information, October 13, 2005

By 

Russell J. Hilgefort - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bipolar Disorder For Dummies (Paperback)

Even though I was dx-ed 8-years ago and know a lot about manic-depression, this book had a lot of good information in it that I wasn't aware of. It is also a good handbook for my fience so that she knows how to deal with my moods and how they effect her moods.

If your fulmiliar with they typical "Dummies" type book and how easy they are to follow along, and you are Bi-Polar, or a loved one is, then this is the book for you. Easy to read, quick to learn. A Very well written book. I give it an "A+" rating.

37 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good information but not-so-good suggestions, January 9, 2007

By 

D. MacGowan "Hopeless Bibliophile" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bipolar Disorder For Dummies (Paperback)

This book gives basic information on Bipolar Disorder - the physiology of it, the various medications available (and possible side effects), and some alternative/additional treatments.

I found the book to fall apart, however, when it came to their suggestions of how to make changes in your life to make recovery better/easier. A person would have to live in an ideal life in order to put their suggestions into place to the degree they outline. They presume that you have (or can get) family and friends who can/want to be a support system for you, and that you can take the time to just step back from regular life and focus on your recovery.

But, in real life, the people I know who share a BP diagnosis rarely have family or spouses open to taking on a significant supportive role, open to getting into counseling, etc. Single parents - or parents in general - will find it difficult to put 90% of the authors' suggestions into their lives.

They also sometimes contradict themselves: they talk about the importance of removing big sources of stress in your life during your recovery - and then tell you not to quit your job or divorce your spouse or make any major decisions in your life. Well, those *are* the big sources of stress in most people's lives.

The information is helpful (although much of it can be found on the Internet), the suggestions are too idealistic to be realistic. Suggestions for those of us, the majority, who have no choice but to jump back into work and parenting and daily life following an episode would have been much more helpful.