Bipolar Disorder/Depression Books
reviewed by Carol
A Mood Apart: The Thinker's Guide to Emotion and Its Disorders Whybrow, Peter C. M.D., HarperPerennial, 1997.
For those bent on dealing with a mood disorder without the benefit of medications, this is an informative book. It's also helpful for the rest of us to better get a handle on our episodes by using the benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
An Unquiet Mind Jamison, Kay Redfield. Vintage, 1995.
This book has come highly recommended by many people in my support group, but I fail to see the attraction. The writing is impenetrable, at least for me, and remember, I read the DSM for amusement.
Bipolar Disorder: A Family-Focused Treatment Approach Milkowitz, David J., Goldstein, Michael J., The Guilford Press, 1997.
As the name implies, this book is designed for therapists looking into treatments for bipolar disorder involving the patients' families. There are many real-world examples scattered in the text. You'll want to read this book if you want to see your disorder through the eyes of your therapist or your family members.
Bipolar Disorder: A Guide For Patients And Families Mondimore, Francis Mark, M.D., Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
This is one of the better books at describing some of the technical details of bipolar disorder. It also has a pretty good discussion on the medications and other medical treatments used. Overall, I rate this book as very good, but not the easiest to read.
Bipolar Disorder Demystified Castle, Lana R., Marlowe & Company. 2003.
I think this is one of the best books out there on bipolar disorder. It's clear and concise, and it at least touches on every subject discussed in all the other self-help books on bipolar disorder. You may find this book a great place to start your research.
The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide Milkowitz, David J. Ph.D. The Guilford Press, 2002.
This was the first book I bought on bipolar disorder, and I found it quite helpful in giving me some understanding of the condition.
The Bipolar Workbook: Tools For Controlling Your Mood Swings Basco, Monica Ramirez Ph.D. The Guilford Press, 2006.
This workbook can be very helpful. It has many worksheets that I've found beneficial. It makes a good patient companion to the therapist's copy of the book above.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder Basco, Monica Ramirez, Rush A. John, The Guilford Press, 2005.
This book was written for therapists who already practice CBT, to help them integrate their skills to be useful in treating bipolar disorder. There is also some good advice for patients about developing skills to moderate episodes.
Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness Styron, William. Vintage, 1990.
This book is 84 fun-filled pages delving into the darkness of depression. Okay, it's only fun if you're into reading about someone else's suffering so you don't feel so bad.
Depression and Bipolar Disorders: Everything You Need to Know Edwards, Virginia M.D. Firefly Books. 2002.
If this really was everything you need to know, I wouldn't bother listing any of these other books. By the time I came across this book, I already knew everything in it, in more detail than what she wrote. However, if you're just starting to learn about bipolar disorder, this is a good place to start; it's well written and quite readable.
Electro Boy: A Memoir Of Mania Behrman, Andy. Random House 2003.
The riveting story of raging mania and substance abuse to remain in mania. Behrman describes his roller coaster ride from fortune to poverty and back to fortune before finally breaking. He then seeks help, but treatment after treatment fails until he gets to the point of desperately seeking Electro Convulsive Therapy. 19 rounds of ECT and it's back to meds, which now work for him, but he laments that his life has become boring.
The Everything Health Guide To Adult Bipolar Disorder Bloch, Jon P., Ph.D. F+W Publications, Inc., 2006.
I had several problems with this book, from the accusation that people with bipolar disorder are violent, to the standard of referring to people as their disorder. He recommends avoiding "bipolar people," including leaving your spouse. In a few places he claims as fact things that contradict the DSM-IV and everything I know about bipolar disorder. There aren't any references to the material from which his information was derived. The author is an associate professor of sociological anthropology. I don't see how this qualifies him to write such a book, as neither a patient nor a therapist, nor a doctor having regular contact with people who have bipolar disorder. I see him as an outsider with bogus information and an ax to grind. Admittedly, there are places where he's gotten some things right, if you can just get past the inflammatory remarks. The reason I list it here at all is to warn sensible people to avoid this book.
Psychological Treatments of Bipolar Disorder Johnson, Sheri L., Leahy Robert L. The Guilford Press, 2004.
This book starts with a comprehensive primer on bipolar disorder, then jumps right in to tell of the major theories of talk therapies that are useful for treating bipolar disorder. The authors amazingly succeed at distilling entire books on each form of therapy into single chapters. It was a good enough read that I put it on my stack of books to read again.
Suicide, the Forever Decision Quinnett, Paul G. Crossroads Publishing Company, 2004.
I just had to read a book on suicide, and this one has been helpful both for me personally when I was really down, and for when I'm talking to other people about their suicidal feelings.