The Up and Down Life: The Truth about Bipolar Disorder--the Good, the Bad, and the Funny Book

Foreword   Stephen Winhusen, M.D.     vii
Introduction     xi
"You Move from the Dark into the Light": Getting on the Path to Getting Better     1
"Like a Seesaw Being Pushed by Some Giant, Crazy Hand": What It Feels Like to Have Bipolar Disorder     11
"Is This What Was Wrong with My Uncle?": Family Connections, Predispositions, and Other Vulnerabilities     33
"Finally, It All Made Sense": Reaching a Diagnosis     47
"I Have to Say, the Meds Saved Me": Prescription Medications and Their Benefits, and Staying Medicated     75
"Nobody but You Can Keep You Well": Staying Motivated, and Taking Your Bipolar Pulse     107
"We're in This Together": Living with Someone Who's Living with Bipolar Disorder     143
"You Have to Educate": What Family, Friends, Bosses, and Coworkers Need to Know (or Not)     175
"I Burned a Lot of Bridges": Making Peace with Your Past and Repairing Damage     205
Afterword: "A Blessing in a Really Big Disguise!"     225
Resources     229
Suggested Reading     235
Acknowledgments     238