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

I’ve really enjoyed this book. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder 20 years ago, but I was never given enough resources to help really deal with it. I “researched” the illness on line and thought I knew a lot about it. This book proved me wrong by showing me how much I didn’t know. This is easy to read and I read it in 2 days (I do love to read, so if it’s a good book this is normal for me). I liked how it broke things down into easy to understand categories. Like the fact there’s more to the illness than just mania and depression. There’s anxiety, irritability, over stimulation, etc. For someone looking to not only understand the illness, but to find ways of coping that weren’t just meds, this book was an eye opener.Yes, this book does cover information on medications. Having been on several that have been ineffective, I actually found this section eye opening as well. I always thought meds just didn’t work, but this book talks about the different types of medication and explains how each type works differently and why it can be difficult to find the right ones.This book also covers other options and therapies for bipolar disorder (like acupuncture, which is part of my treatment regimen). I like how this book incorporates all different types of treatment. I fully agree with the entire body/mind/lifestyle needing to be treated and not just one part of it.It wasn’t long before I started underlining passages in the book and making notes in the margins. There was a lot of useful information in every chapter, not just for me, but for my family and friends. Several of my notes were to my family and friends who are now reading the book. A way for me to point out to them “this is me. ..This is how I feel.” In fact, as my mother was reading it we were discussing work and she said “That’s a bipolar conversation!”I originally got this book as a eBook for me and then bought the paper copy for my family and friends to share (and to use for printing the work pages). The eBook was perfectly readable and I like having this book on hand at all times, but there are uses for the paper copy (such as sharing with your support team). And highlighting and making notes in an eBook are possible, but slightly more cumbersome for me personally.I would highly recommend this book to people as a resource for finding a way to manage Bipolar Disorder in their lives.

Excellent book, so very informing and helpful, for those who have bipolar disorder and for those living with someone with bipolar disorder. Best book on this subject that I have read so far and I have read quite a few.

I am really am learning a lot from Julie Fast and John Preston's book. "Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder". I was diagnosed about 5 years ago. It certainly didn't come as a surprise. In fact, it made sense to me. I have always had a very intense personality. I loved deeply and cried intensely. I was always at one extreme or another. My grandmother, mother and many cousins had mental illness challenges. This book allows me to understand myself better. It puts my distorted thinking into a more clear way of looking at my world. I am feeling so much better about myself as I read each chapter. I finally have a plan to follow to help myself heal. Almost everything that is typical of a person with bipolar, I have lived through--financial problems, drug addiction and at 58 I have never had a job more than five years. Thank you for this very helpful and easy to understand and implement the positive ideas in this book. My award-winning "Confessions of a Southern Baby Boomer" details some of my wild experiences!!! Thanks again and Bless Your Heart, Meg Henderson Wade

I was diagnosed with Bipolar II and found this book while doing some research on my treatment options. The book does a great job of explaining bipolar disorder in simple terms. Honestly, a lot of the stuff in the book can be found online but this is a nice concise book that would be good for family and friends. On the internet, there’s always the chance they could stumble onto junk science or something that is just completely false. With this book, you know they are getting the right information and they are learning more about you. I recommend completing the fill in the blanks and other workbook exercises before giving it to your loved one. It will make for a well-rounded understanding.

An insightful help guide, I've read it 3 times in the last week, Highlighted areas that were right on point for what I needed more clarification on. I ordered it and sent to 3 other family members. It's a understandable good guide, more than a book. I wish i had thought about a getting a book like this 10 years ago, you don't think about a relapse until it hits you in the face,, how to try and figure out why and how to help your family member all over again. Don't risk losing what you can protect by getting more knowledgeable on BP, it's management, and what Triggers you many never have thought of that can spin things out of control for yourself or your loved one.Details no how to recognize when someone is on the brink of a episode that could land them back in the hospital.We recently went thru a med change with a family member that was more involved than we expected and midpoint required hospitalization for closer level watch,, YOU now have better resource with this book to ask and be a better advocate for your loved one or yourself while living with BP.

When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder/manic depression my only knowledge about the illness was mania and depression. This book helped me make sense of the other aspects of the illness including over-sensitivity to the environment (being overwhelmed), delusion, paranoia, hallucinations and so much more. It gave me a perspective on the importance of both meds and therapy - and how it can take a long time to get the right combination. Most importantly, it gave me strategies for managing bipolar as a chronic illness including - recognizing my triggers, avoiding behaviors, places, or people that lead to episodes, and recognizing the language I used when I'm depressed. I am so grateful to Julie Fast. I gave copies to my family because they also had no idea what the illness really is. I've just written a memoir, coming out in May 2020 - Out of the Crazywoods. I hope it is also useful to people who are living with BP/MDI.

This is easily one of the best books I've read about Bipolar. Julie Fast provides the unique perspective of a person living with and successfully managing BP. She is a renowned expert on mental health, the author of numerous books. Her website is excellent. It is very useful for people living with BP, their loved ones and health care professionals.I have implemented her practical plan and it works wonderfully for me in the day to management of my illnesses.I can't recommend this book highly enough & I'mIn the process of reading her other books.

Very informative,,helping me come to terms with bi polar,,,hoping my wife will read and understand that it's an illness and out of my control,,however with some of the suggestions in this book it could quite possibly be managed better

I would recommend this book for anyone with bipolar.This is a great book to educate your family about bipolar disorder.

Very helpful information. Understandable and practical

Have only just started reading this but I know it's going to be a huge help to me. Very easy to read and written by someone with Bi-polar.