Bipolar Disorder

Fülszöveg

In this book for persons with bipolar disorder and their families, Dr. Frank Mondimore offers a comprehensive, practical, compassionate guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and causes of this potentially devastating psychiatric illness, formerly known as "manic-depression." For each of the various treatment options, Dr. Mondimore discusses advantages, disadvantages, side effects, and other information to help patients make informed decisions. He alsó 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, of planning for emergencies, and of giving one's self permission to seek help. Bipolar disorder is a particularly difficult illness to diagnose and treat, Dr. Mondimore acknowledges, and it can be incredibly destructive to relationships and careers, can wreak havoc on family life, and, when not properly treated, is a potentially fatal... Tovább

Fülszöveg

In this book for persons with bipolar disorder and their families, Dr. Frank Mondimore offers a comprehensive, practical, compassionate guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and causes of this potentially devastating psychiatric illness, formerly known as "manic-depression." For each of the various treatment options, Dr. Mondimore discusses advantages, disadvantages, side effects, and other information to help patients make informed decisions. He alsó 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, of planning for emergencies, and of giving one's self permission to seek help. Bipolar disorder is a particularly difficult illness to diagnose and treat, Dr. Mondimore acknowledges, and it can be incredibly destructive to relationships and careers, can wreak havoc on family life, and, when not properly treated, is a potentially fatal disease. In his wide-ranging discussion of this unpredictable disorder, Dr. Mondimore describes problems that are unique to women, in whom the disease may be affected by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and childbirth. He includes new information on the forms the illness takes in children and adolescents, in whom it can sometimes be mistaken for "hyperactivity" or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. He explains what we know about the genetics of the disease, how symptoms fluctuate with the seasons in seasonal affective disorder, and how illness can be made more difficult to treat because of alcoholism or drug abuse. He discusses coping with the stigmatization of psychiatric diagnosis, gives advice on picking a psychiatrist and on dealing with medical insurance issues, and even explores the fascinating relationship between bipolar disorder and artistic creativity. Finally, Dr. Mondimore telis family members what they can do to help the person with bipolar disorder--and themselves-and he offers hope for the future as researchers learn more about the disease and how to control it. Francis Mark Mondimore is a psychiatrist and a member of the clinical faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His books include Depression: The Mood Disease and A Natural History of Homosexuality, both available from Johns Hopkins. Vissza