Living with bipolar a guide to understanding and managing the disorder

Description

A practical and authoritative guide to bipolar disorder: its causes, current treatments and strategies for managing the illness and living well. Living with Bipolar provides essential and practical information for people with bipolar disorder, their families and friends. Two leading research psychiatrists and two psychologists, all with many years of experience in mood disorders, explain that this challenging illness can be managed. While there is no cure, it's possible for people with bipolar disorder to live well. Many people seeking help with depression are diagnosed with a form of bipolar disorder, usually Bipolar I or Bipolar II. The authors explain the causes and triggers, both medical and psychological treatment options, and ways of preventing relapses. Drawing on the experience of their patients, they also show how to develop successful personal strategies for identifying and coping with symptoms, and emphasise the importance of a healthy lifestyle. ... AcknowledgmentsList of tables and figuresIntroduction1 What is bipolar disorder?2 Bipolar depression3 Mania and hypomania4 Adapting to bipolar disorder5 Causes and triggers6 Medication as a personal strategy7 Getting to know your medications8 Psychotherapy9 Managing your triggers10 Catching symptoms early11 Support and activity strategies when becoming depressed12 Helpful thinking strategies to reduce depression13 Reducing suicide risk14 Managing warning symptoms of hypomania or mania15 Preventing damage and boosting your coping skills16 Monitoring your bipolar disorder17 Planning to prevent or reduce relapse18 Maintaining a healthy lifestyle19 Maintaining close relationships20 You and your doctor21 Someone I care about has bipolar disorderGlossaryBibliographyIndex