Living With Someone Who's Living With Bipolar Disorder (eBook)

Chelsea Lowe is a health writer and essayist and the author of The Everything Health Guide to OCD. She has written feature articles and essays for NPR, Newsweek, Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, and other publications. Bruce M. Cohen, MD, PhD, is emeritus director of the Harvard University- affiliated McLean Hospital and the Robertson-Steele Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cohen is a national leader in the study and treatment of bipolar disorders.

Preface ix

Introduction xiii

Part One Understanding Bipolar Disorder 1

1 What Is (and Isn't) Bipolar Disorder? 3

2 A Brief, Colorful History (and Some Science) of Bipolar Disorder 19

3 Getting an Accurate Diagnosis 35

4 Understanding Medication 53

5 Understanding Psychosocial Therapies and Medical Treatment Options 71

Part Two Living with Your Partner 87

6 Building a Support Team 89

7 Bipolar Disorders and the Workplace 107

8 Communication and Coping Skills 127

9 Coping with Negative and Dangerous Behaviors 147

10 Sex, Intimacy, and Relationship Issues 161

11 Suicide Attempts, Hospitalization, and Commitment 177

12 Family Matters 193

Appendix: Excerpts from the DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Bipolar Disorder 209

Notes 233

Resources 237

About the Authors 245

Index 247

Mental health columnist Lowe and Cohen (psychiatry, Harvard Univ.)
team up to address the needs and concerns of those who are involved
with someone who has bipolar disorder. They use nontechnical
language to describe all aspects of diagnosis, treatment options,
and day-to-day issues. Numerous vignettes of couples, told from the
nonbipolar partner's point of view, personalize the narrative and
also make clear how varied the symptoms, whether behavioral or
emotional, can be. Specific advice is offered on communicating with
family, friends, and work colleagues; developing a professional and
nonprofessional support system; and navigating the impact of this
disease on work and personal life. There is also an extensive
reading list appended, and resources appropriate to the topic at
hand are integrated into the text.

Verdict: This offers practical help to those living with or
related to a person who is or might be suffering from bipolar
disorder. A guide on the nitty-gritty details of managing a
relationship and a life, with a hefty dose of encouragement thrown
in, this has lots of excellent resources for all aspects of
diagnosis, treatment, communication, and coping.--Paula
McMillen, Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas (Library Journal,
January 29, 2010)