Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families by Francis Mark Mondimore

From the Publisher

Bipolar disorder can be devastating. It can disrupt relationships and careers, it can wreak havoc on family life, and, when not properly treated, it can be fatal. Since 1999 this compassionate and comprehensive guide has helped tens of thousands of people cope with this complex disease. This, the second edition of Bipolar Disorder, is thoroughly updated and discusses promising new options for diagnosis and treatment along with new information on the disease's genetic components.

Bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnose. Dr. Mondimore explains how symptoms fluctuate in persons with seasonal affective disorder, how they can lead to a mistaken diagnosis of attention deficit—hyperactivity disorder in children, and how they may be made worse by alcohol or drug addiction.

The disease can also be difficult to treat. Dr. Mondimore gives advice about how to pick a psychiatrist and cope with the stigma of psychiatric diagnosis. He provides extensive information on treatment options, including the advantages, disadvantages, and side effects of various drug therapies.

He also describes what it is like to live with bipolar disorder and discusses how lifestyle changes can improve quality of life. Throughout, he focuses on the importance of building a support system, planning for emergencies, and giving yourself permission to seek help.

Emily K. Tedesco

This book is a comprehensive and practical guide to this devastating psychiatric illness. The author incorporates an easy to understand format that includes the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options for those affected with bipolar disorder. The purpose is to help educate and inform. The author does a great job in fully explaining the advantages and disadvantages of treating this illness. The most important component is the effective way he combines all the current facts and data into a practical and useful guide. The book is targeted toward patients with bipolar disorder and their families. It would also be useful for students and mental health professionals who work with this special population. The author is credible and quotes respected professionals in the field. This book includes modern treatment options, tips for getting and staying well, a full explanation of the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, and how the illness affects special populations. The author includes a section on coping with medication side effects. The most important feature is the full section of up-to-date resources, including support groups, informational Internet sites, and suggested readings. This book is an invaluable tool for patients and families living with bipolar disorder. The author incorporates real life stories, expert advice, symptoms and diagnosis, modern treatment options, and resources to help make living with this disorder tolerable. Most importantly, the concepts and information presented in this book are practical.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Brett C. Plyler, M.D. (Northwestern Memorial Hospital)
Description:This is a guide for patients and families to help them understand bipolar disorder and its diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
Purpose:The purpose is to educate patients and their families about bipolar illness.
Audience:The book is written for patients and their families.
Features:It begins with a discussion of symptoms and diagnosis, particularly examining abnormal versus normal mood states. A brief historical section is followed by an extensive look at treatment, which focuses primarily on medications, but does examine therapy as well. The next section covers topics such as genetics and substance abuse in bipolar illness. The last section delineates the ideas behind getting well and staying well. The treatment and getting well section are both excellent, and the book is written at an appropriate level for non-clinical readers. It is not clear what in particular the second edition provides that the first did not.
Assessment:This is an excellent book for patients with bipolar illness. I recommend the first edition frequently and will do so now with the second. It gives patients and their families enough information without being overwhelming and overly technical. The tone is practical but compassionate toward patients and family members suffering through this difficult illness. Good resource sections provide more extensive reading and online data. I would highly recommend this book.

Booknews

A guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and causes of this potentially devastating psychiatric illness, formerly known as manic-depression. Mondimore (psychiatrist and clinical faculty member at the U. of North Carolina) offers practical advice for getting the most out of the various treatments that are now available<-->from medication, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive treatment to new approaches such as transcranial magnetic stimulation. He also describes problems that are unique to women, forms the illness takes in children and adolescents, the genetics of the disease, and ways to cope with the stigma of psychiatric diagnosis. Throughout, he focuses on the importance of building a support system, of planning for emergencies, and of giving one's self permission to seek help. Paper edition (unseen), $16.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Kirkus Reviews

An exhaustive, scientific, yet compassionate assist for sufferers of "the chameleon of psychiatric disorders" and their families. Psychiatrist Mondimore (Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) looks first at the symptoms and diagnosis of bipolar disorder, or manic-depression: the disease wears many masks that can make diagnosis difficult. Mondimore concedes that at present psychiatrists are generally working with the same diagnostic tools that were used in the 19th century: their eyes and ears. He goes on to discuss treatment. Medications are first and foremost—primarily mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. He follows with a thoughtful considerations of electroconvulsive therapy, counseling, and psychotherapy. Mondimore is especially clear on medication side effects (and how to avoid them), how various treatments have been used and misused, and what a reasonable standard should be. In part three, Mondimore considers how bipolar disorder affects children, adolescents, and women; and how it is affected by alcoholism and drug abuse, seasonal affective disorder and chronobiology, genetics, and other medical conditions such as stroke and hormonal problems. In part four, Mondimore offers real, detailed help for living with the disease. The key is to recognize that bipolar disease is relentless and that the way to keep it at bay is for the patient to be relentless, too—"about getting needed treatment and sticking to it". Illustrative case studies here make it clear this can be done, but it isn't easy. An absolute gold mine, then, for those with the disorder and their families: thorough, candid, and up-to-date advice, full of new possibilities for help.

Rating

3 Stars from Doody

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents