Learning more about complex mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder can eliminate fear of the unknown, break through the sense of isolation that can occur in the aftermath of a diagnosis, and help people better understand their options. In today’s post, we take a look at 10 of the best books on bipolar disorder for people who have this condition, as well as for their parents, partners, siblings, and other loved ones.
5 Best Books on Bipolar Disorder
This section includes five of the best books on bipolar disorder from a straightforward, informational perspective. If you or your loved one has recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, these books can be excellent starting points for your educational journey.
If you have been living with this disorder for a while now, they may serve to broaden your perspective and enhance your ability to live a full and satisfying life.
Welcome to the Jungle: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Bipolar but Were Too Freaked Out to Ask
Various sources have praised this informative work by Hilary T. Smith as “an honest, relatable book” with “an upfront, empowering approach.” The author, who has bipolar disorder herself, has said that this is the book she wishes had been available to her when she was first diagnosed.
Learn more about Welcome to the Jungle.
The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know
This international bestseller offers a wealth of practical advice in an accessible manner. Author David J. Miklowitz, PhD, is a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute. He’s also a senior clinical research fellow in the psychiatry department at Oxford University.
Learn more about The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide.
Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner
Co-author Julie A. Fast has bipolar disorder herself, and she was previously in a relationship with a person who also has the condition. John D. Preston, PsyD, is a board-certified neurologist. Together, they have crafted a powerful book about how best to support a loved one.
Learn more about Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder: The Essential Family Guide
This book by Aimee Daramus offers valuable guidance on a variety of important topics, including the science of bipolar disorder, how to find the right treatment, and how to avoid burnout while caring for a loved one who has bipolar disorder.
Learn more about Understanding Bipolar Disorder.
Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families
The Goodreads description of this book by Francis Mark Mondimore, MD, calls it “compassionate and comprehensive.” In addition to discussing research into medications and nutritional supplements to help alleviate the symptoms of bipolar disorder, Dr. Mondimore also offers practical guidance for improving patients’ quality of life.
Learn more about Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families.
5 Best Books for Bipolar Disorder Recovery
In this section, we have collected five of the best books on bipolar disorder that were from the perspective of people who have lived through the experience themselves or professionals who have helped patients transcend the limitations of this condition in order to live their best lives.
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
Kay Redfield Jamison’s captivating memoir appears on multiple lists of best books on bipolar disorder. Jamison is a clinical psychologist who first began to experience symptoms of what was then called “manic depression” during her teen years.
Learn more about An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness.
Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder
Co-author Dyane Harwood, whose father had bipolar disorder, developed the condition herself shortly after giving birth to her first child. Goodreads describes this memoir as “the chronicle of one mother’s perseverance, offering hope and grounded advice for those battling mental illness.”
Learn more about Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder.
Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor: An Olympian’s Journey with Mental Illness
Author Amy Gamble was a member of the U.S. women’s handball team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. This book is an account of her path to recovery after years of struggling with the symptoms of both bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Learn more about Bipolar Disorder: My Biggest Competitor.
The Bipolar Workbook: Tools for Controlling Your Mood Swings
This workbook by clinical psychologist Monica Ramirez Basco, PhD, employs the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The goal is to empower people with bipolar disorder to remain in greater control of their thoughts and actions during both manic and major depressive episodes.
Learn more about The Bipolar Workbook.
Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life
Rock Steady is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Ellen Forney’s celebrated graphic memoir, Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me. While Marbles focused on Forney herself, Rock Steady serves as a self-help guide to assist others whose lives have been impacted by bipolar disorder.
Learn more about Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life.
Contact Montare at the Valley About Bipolar Disorder Recovery
Reading some of the best books on bipolar disorder can be extremely valuable – but education alone isn’t always enough to improve the lives of people who have this condition. Bipolar treatment, medication, therapy, and other support services can put people on the path toward better health and a much more hopeful future.
If you or someone that you care about has bipolar disorder, Montare at the Valley is here to help. At our bipolar disorder treatment center in southern California, you or your loved one can receive life-affirming outpatient care from a team of skilled and dedicated professionals. To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact Us page or call our center today.
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