Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for You and Your Loved Ones (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

Review
Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for You & Your Loved Ones should be required reading for any family or individual concerned about bipolar disorder.
―Donovan's Literary Services
Since it was first published, Bipolar Disorder has helped myriad patients and families learn how best to live with this severe mental illness. This is a timely and welcome new edition which incorporates the latest developments in the field. I highly recommend it.
―Jair C. Soares, MD, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas
Rarely does a book for laypeople about a health condition endure the test of decades and remain current. Yet, this is exactly what Dr. Mondimore has achieved in this fresh, clearly-written, informative new edition of Bipolar Disorder. A must-read for every patient, family member, or interested citizen who wishes to understand Bipolar Disorder and its treatment.
―Constantine (Kostas) Lyketsos, MD, MHS, Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Dr. Mondimore's Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for You and Your Loved Ones is an essential guide for patients and their loved ones navigating the challenges of a bipolar illness. Full of helpful examples and straightforward explanations, the book is an easy and necessary read. I highly recommend it.
―Patricia Dill Rinvelt, Executive Director, National Network of Depression Centers
The vital resource for people with bipolar disorder and their loved ones, completely updated.
Winner of the American Book Fest Best Book Award in Health - Psychology/Mental Health by the American Book Fest
Compassionate and comprehensive, Dr. Francis Mondimore's pathbreaking guide has helped thousands of people and their loved ones cope with bipolar disorder. Now in its fourth edition, Bipolar Disorder has been totally revised and reorganized to reflect dramatic improvements in the treatment of the illness, as well as numerous scientific breakthroughs that have increased our understanding of its causes.
With insight and sensitivity, Dr. Mondimore
• surveys new medications for treating bipolar disorder, including ketamine, exploring the benefits and potential side effects
• reviews the scientific studies that back up claims for recommended botanicals and nutritional supplements, such as omega-3s and NAC, and tells you which ones to leave on the shelf
• expands the chapter on brain stimulation treatments to include new transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices and techniques such as "deep TMS" and "theta-burst TMS," as well as new details about vagal nerve stimulation
• describes the emerging field of pharmacogenomics: the science of using a patient's genetic profile to improve the selection and dosing of medications
• examines the important relationship between bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder while discussing why one or the other diagnosis is often overlooked in persons who have both
• lays out recommended lifestyle changes and practical approaches to managing the illness better, planning for emergencies, building a support system, dealing with insurance and legal issues, and defining the role of the family
A section called "What Causes Bipolar Disorder" has been added to this new edition. Dr. Mondimore also discusses the role that talk therapy, including specialized forms of cognitive behavioral therapy and family-focused therapy, can play in managing the disorder. Throughout the book, Dr. Mondimore has added sidebars on fascinating details about the history of this disorder and its treatment.