Contents
- 1. “A restless mind. My victory over bipolar disorder Kay Jamieson
- 2. “Confessions of a normal crazy woman” Olga Marinicheva
- 3. “Go crazy! A guide to mental disorders for a resident of a big city “Daria Varlamova, Anton Zainiev
- 4. “Bipolar People: How People with Bipolar Disorder Live and Dream” by Masha Pushkina
- 5. “Bipolar Toolkit”
Recently there has been increased interest in the diagnosis of bipolar personality disorder. Many people experience manifestations of this disorder in themselves or loved ones. These five books will help you better understand this difficult topic.
This compilation is addressed not only to those who have been diagnosed with this affective disorder, and there are many such people – there are more than 2 million people in Russia alone, but also to everyone who wants to better understand their “bipolar” friends and acquaintances, people who live as if on rollercoaster – now experiencing ecstasy and “flights of the mind”, then plunging into darkness and impotence.
These books will help you get to know yourself better, because each of us is different in some ways.
1. “A restless mind. My victory over bipolar disorder Kay Jamieson
Kay Jamison is a psychiatrist, professor at Johns Hopkins University, and the author of several books on mood disorders, but this book is unique in that Kay talks about his personal experience in it. At the height of her scientific career, she realized that she herself suffered from a severe form of bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, she managed to create a clinic for the study of affective disorders and become a well-known specialist in this field. The reader will learn a lot about the causes of bipolar disorder, the history of the study of the problem and the methods of treatment. But first of all, about how you can live without giving up. Overcoming bouts of mania and then debilitating depression, Kay Jamison was able to make a serious contribution to the development of psychiatry and set an inspiring example for her patients. (Alpina Publisher, 2017)
2. “Confessions of a normal crazy woman” Olga Marinicheva
Turning a medical history into a life story, Olga Marinicheva (who took the pseudonym Marina Zarechnaya) tells about unprecedented and unbearable love, visions and hallucinations, psychiatric hospitals and the fate of an entire generation. “Sometimes, in order to save the soul, she is forced to go into psychosis,” she writes in her poignant book. A diary, an autobiography, a human document (“human – and thanks for that,” the author comments on this characteristic) – it is impossible to determine the genre of this book. The text, like the life of the heroine herself, crumbles into fragments, but each page is filled with the talent of the author – a well-known journalist, writer and teacher. She knows very well why this book was written: “Now I just have nowhere but words” – and gives the reader a unique opportunity to see the experience of experiencing bipolar disorder, described “from the other side”, from the inside. (Inapress, Novaya Gazeta, 2006)
3. “Go crazy! A guide to mental disorders for a resident of a big city “Daria Varlamova, Anton Zainiev
Graduates of the Higher School of Economics, journalists Daria Varlamova and Anton Zainiev, talk in a fascinating and accessible way about the most common mental disorders: depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders, schizophrenia and others. They also describe the methods of treatment, never getting tired of repeating: it is dangerous to use them on your own, without a visit to the doctor, and it is unlikely that it will work: you will need a psychiatrist’s prescription to buy drugs. Most diseases do not impose special restrictions on life – no need to go on a diet, leave work, take toxic drugs and give up extreme entertainment. And at the same time, learning about your diagnosis is a great relief. “I perceived my problems with depression as personal shortcomings,” says Daria Varlamova. – I considered myself lazy, useless, useless. Knowing that you are sick and can be cured means that you can stop the destructive self-flagellation and start taking action.” (Alpina Publisher, 2016).
4. “Bipolar People: How People with Bipolar Disorder Live and Dream” by Masha Pushkina
Journalist, editor of the portal bipolar.su Maria Pushkina has collected several personal stories – frank confessions of people with bipolar disorder. Among her heroes are Mikhail, an engineer-mathematician, who had his first attack of the disease at the age of 25, and 35-year-old Asya, a graphic designer. Nastya, who fell in love with a man with the same diagnosis… They talk about how they first realized that they were sick, at what point they decided to seek help, and how they eventually learned to live with the disease. The characters’ monologues are commented on by experts, psychiatrist and psychologists. They explain how to recognize the disease and what rules to follow in order to remain prosperous and productive. (Publishing Solutions, Ridero, 2017)
5. “Bipolar Toolkit”
Australian journalist and lawyer Sarah Freeman was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 40, but she managed to stabilize her condition, firstly, with the help of a diet, about which she wrote the book “The Bipolar Diet” (“The Bipolar Diet”, 2009), and in secondly, using behavioral strategies aimed at developing awareness. Sarah Freeman details these strategies in a practical guide. There are only three of them: maintaining a mood chart, drawing up a recovery plan, and preparing a treatment agreement. The brochure is addressed to those who understand that therapy is the responsibility of not only the doctor, but also the patient. You can download the book for free here: