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Book review: December 2006

Bipolar Disorder for Dummies by Candida Fink and Joe Kraynak

Reviewed by Don K

I should tell you upfront that I’m not bipolar, and maybe that makes me the wrong guy to review a book written mainly for bipolar consumers. Still, two people I love have that diagnosis, and in trying to help them, I spend a certain percentage of my life trying to figure out what’s going on.

“I’m not a dummy, and anyway, I’m not bipolar,” says one. The first statement is definitely true; the second very doubtful. I wish she’d read this book.

The “For Dummies” series was never truly meant for dummies. It’s simply a tongue-in-cheek moniker meaning that these books try to put complex topics in very simple, very practical terms. This book, written by a psychiatrist specializing in bipolar disorder and a husband of a bipolar consumer, attempts to review the most pertinent, most current thinking on this illness: what a consumer most needs to know about the disorder and how he or she can best get on with life. Published in 2005, it’s pretty up to date.

Like others in the series, this book is very readable. Each chapter is lively, relatively short and to the point. The authors take a light touch, finding humor whenever possible. Looking in from the outside, as I do, I thought it was excellent.

Let me outline the chapters so you have an idea of what’s in store should you decide to read this book.

Part I: Boning up on bipolar disorder

1. Living la vida bipolar

2. Demystifying bipolar disorder

3. A positive prognosis with a proactive plan

Part II: Taming the bipolar beast

4. Ruling out other health issues

5. Getting a psychiatric evaluation and treatment plan

6. Building a winning mood-management team

7 Touring the bipolar pharmacy

Part III: Opening the treatment toolbox, a comprehensive, integrated approach

8. Retooling your mind through therapy

9. Expanding your treatment options

Part IV: Helping yourself

10. Surviving your current crisis

11. Healing at your own pace

12. Identifying your triggers and mapping your moods

13. Restructuring your life

14. Working out and eating right

15. Battling the urge to fly solo

Part V: Assisting a friend or relative with biopolar disorder

16. Supporting your loved one

17. Planning ahead for a possible crisis

18. Backing your bipolar child

Part VI The part of tens

19. Ten questions to ask a psychiatrist or therapist

20. Ten ways to fight the high cost of treatment

21. Ten ways to help the bipolar community

Here’s a link to the book on Amazon. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see comments from one of the authors and what other readers thought.