Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder: A 4-Step Plan for You and Your Loved Ones to Manage the Illness and Create Lasting Stability

Description

Revised and updated, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder is a groundbreaking, comprehensive program to help those with bipolar disorder—and those who care about them—gain permanent control over their lives. Most people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are sent home with the name of a doctor and multiple prescriptions. However, few people with bipolar disorder are able to find long-term stability with medications alone. Bipolar disorder researcher and expert Julie A. Fast, who was diagnosed with the illness at age thirty-one, and specialist John Preston, PsyD, offer the pioneering Take Charge program used around the world to help readers promote stability, reduce mood swings, increase work ability, decrease health care costs, and improve relationships. The book guides those with bipolar disorder and their loved ones toward a comprehensive personal treatment plan by incorporating: Medications and bipolar-safe supplements Lifestyle changes that help manage bipolar symptoms naturally Behavior modifications that reduce and prevent symptoms Guidelines on assembling an effective support team By helping readers gather powerful strategies, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder delivers a dynamic program to treat this difficult but ultimately manageable illness. Review: I wish I had bought this sooner! Great for both people with bipolar disorder and their loved ones - I have read multiple books about bipolar disorder, mainly as an attempt to explain the disorder to those close to me (I have it). They all had the same surface-level info that is only really helpful for people who were recently diagnosed. They lacked information about what the disorder really is. It's not just ups and downs. Bipolar symptoms don't disappear when you're not having an episode. Most books only give the DSM checklists when talking symptoms, and that's not enough! That's not even how the DSM is even supposed to be used! This book is totally different. It has all of the information found in other books, but the authors go into detail about the nuances of bipolar disorder. They talk about the persistent symptoms and lay out facts about genetics and statistics. It feels very personal because the authors have real experience with the disorder rather than strictly academic knowledge. They also have chemistry, making it an enjoyable read. I couldn't put this book down, and I'm not a reader! Beyond the basic rundown, they include ways to manage symptoms. The goal of this book is to not only educate people about the disorder, but to hopefully give enough tools to someone with bipolar disorder so they can rely less on medication. They don't advise against medication--they make it clear that it is a requirement--but the focus is bigger picture. They also explore the positive effects of a Keto diet for someone with bipolar, which I had never heard of before. I highly recommend giving this book a read. I did more highlighting and notating in the first half of this book than I did for the other 3 I've read combined. They also have many blurbs specifically for those reading it for a loved one, too. Review: PRODUCT ARRIVE FAST, AND WORKED GREAT. - PRODUCT ARRIVE FAST, AND WORKED GREAT.