healthmedicinet

When I was newly diagnosed I did what came naturally to me – I read. I read things on the Internet – forums, articles, blogs. I also read memoirs and self-help psychology books. I want to share what was helpful to me.

I believe the first book I read was An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison. It is unique in that it shares the perspective of both a consumer (someone with a mental illness) and a psychiatrist, as Jamison is both. It is a widely suggested read for those with bipolar disorder.

Then I read Madness by Marya Hornbacher which was much more gritty and authentic to me.

If you prefer something a bit more light-hearted, The Up and Down Life by Paul E. Jones with Andrea Thompson, is just that. As the cover says it is “The Truth about Bipolar Disorder – the Good, the Bad, and the Funny.”

By far, my favorite memoir is Manic by Terri Cheney. Perhaps that is because for me it rang most true. A successful lawyer in LA who is sometimes suicidally depressed and alternately manic. It is written in a special way that mirrors the mood swings of a bipolar consumer.

I read The Bipolar Relationship by Jon P. Bloch, Bernard Golden, and Nancy Rosenfeld before my boyfriend did. I highlighted passages, dog-eared pages, made notes in the margins. I wanted him to know that this – THIS – is exactly how I feel. I wanted to prepare him. I wanted to let him know what he was getting into. I wanted to give him an out.

A more factual book is 100 Questions Answers about Bipolar (Manic-Depressive) Disorder by Ava T. Albrecht and Charles Herrick. It is filled with nuggets of information about the illness and was helpful to me when “You have bipolar disorder” made no sense at all.

There are a few more books on my list to read soon – Electroboy by Andy Behrman as well as Haldol and Hyacinths, A Bipolar Life by Melody Moezzi. 

There is no shortage of information out there on bipolar disorder. These are just a few of my favorites that I hope you will find helpful. Let me know what other books you would recommend in the comments section. Happy reading!

 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

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And they are apparently too stupid to realize how easy it is to ensure they are called out for their bad behavior.

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    Last reviewed: 19 Mar 2014