Why Am I Still Depressed? Recognizing and Managing the Ups and Downs of Bipolar II and Soft Bipolar Disorder

"This was the second book I bought on the subject after my husband was diagnosed with bipolar type 2. Although some of the information was repetitive for me, it did a very good job of giving an overview of the disease and treatment options. What I liked most about it was that it devotes an entire chapter to trying to differentiate type I bipolar from type 2, and hypomania from true mania, and also talks a great deal about the mood spectrum. It also give some insight into mixed mood states, which are combinations of both depression and mania/hypomania which I think largely describe my husband."
~ Written on 2008-08-09

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The past 12 years of my life have been plagued with increasingly more severe symptoms within the depression spectrum. Even though I have worked with numerous psychiatrists and various Dr.'s and have been passionately involved in my treatment, including implementing most every holistic approach possible (I'm a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach). However, I've recently discovered Dr. Phelps's work and due the implementation of the perspectives and research he shares my health is rapidly improving. I've passionately researched the topics of depression,self help/improvement, psychology/psychoanalysis, NLP, psychopharmacology, neurophysiology, etc. and yet Dr. Phelps's material offers a ton of new and even life saving information.

My gratitude for Dr. Phelps extends far beyond the capability of words. I've never met him because his waiting list is over a year long (possibly closer to 2), but I can assure you that he's a man of great integrity, a big heart and impressively humble.

I truly hope this helps and I wholeheartedly wish you health and happiness. "
~ Written on 2008-05-09

"In "Why Am I Still Depressed" Dr. Phelps brings together in one place more really important information about Bipolar II, or what he refers to as Soft Bipolar, than has been done in terms that a layperson can understand. This book was recommended to my by the psychiatrist who treated me during a recent hospitalization as a "must read". It was amazing to pick up a book that described me and my eight-year journey with mental illness. Had I read the book earlier I could well have avoided the over-medication and mis-medication that I had received from my out-patient psychiatrist. Now I am much better, and I'm better equipped engage a new psychiatrist and to be a proactive consumer of psychiatric treatment including medications."
~ Written on 2008-04-28

"Jim Phelps has provided anyone grappling with bipolar spectrum disorders (hypomania, soft bipolar, classic bipolar, et al) an invaluable book which in addition to very readable text, provides tools to monitor one's own behavior and make lasting changes. This wonderful book will undoubtedly become a classic in an area of psychiatry that is poorly understood and often ignored by intelligent and otherwise effective therapists and psychophamacologists. It serves as a perfect companion to the recently published, Break the Bipolar Cycle by Elizabeth Brondolo, which is a brilliant self-help guide, complete with easily implementable exercises for the layman (i.e. me) to "Bipolar Spectrum Disorders" (BSD). Phelps' book is especially useful from the psycho-pharmacological side in determining what your diagnosis might be and how to deal with it. Phelps is an M.D. Brondolo is a Ph.D. in Psychology (therapist). Phelps has an incredible website: [...]

I was recently diagnosed with hypomania after being in therapy for 13 years and having being prescribed antidepressants for the majority of that period. Sadly, most professionals don't acknowledge more than a few meaningless gradations in the bipolar spectrum and the term "bipolar" is so scary and brings up such horrifying & stigmatizing images of manic depressive behavior (i.e. Jamison's portrayal of herself cited a few lines below), that most would rather avoid the topic entirely, dismissing therapists and M.D.s as "crazy". One thinks -- "This is not me!". Guess again -- it might be. (for a classic book that reads like a page-turner on full-on Manic Depression, see: An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison, Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University).

Most of the gradations along the "bipolar spectrum" are not even recognized in the DSM IV which is the most comprehensive guide for psychiatric professionals in making diagnoses. The whole concept of bipolar spectrum disorders is a relatively recent phenomena, having only been truly studied and understood over the last decade or so. DON'T BE SCARED AND DON'T CONTINUE TO WRECK YOUR LIFE - many hypomanics are incredibly successful professionals (see: The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America - John D. Gartner, which is a highly entertaining read, and uplifting, because it makes you realize that there is plenty of hope out there).

Phelps' book is a wonder for those of us who have suffered most of our lives and always thought that those closest to us giving us loving feedback were the crazy ones. It provides some easily understandable guidelines, exercises and common sense pieces of advice (good luck finding a therapist who understands what is going on with you -- after years of poor judgment and simply lying to therapists and myself, I would strongly recommend some form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy or Dialectic Behavior Therapy). Phelps and Brondolo also provide one with a framework for how to approach what you've been suffering from and how to approach your therapists and M.D.s with these issues, as many of them (the majority in my experience -- even those who understand BSD well) will not ask you many key questions or monitor key behaviors that are essential for you to get better unless you bring these things up yourself (makes one feel really great that you're spending so much $$$ on these folks).

One of the scariest things that emerges in Phelps' and Brondolo's work is that at least 50% of people who suffer from BSD have been mis-diagnosed for years (on avg 10 years) and have been on the usual array of antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, et al). THESE ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN FACT HAVE THE TENDENCY TO BRING ON AND/OR EXACERBATE HYPOMANIC EPISODES!

PHELPS AND BRONDOLO'S WORK ARE "EASY READS", easy to browse through, and easy to pick up and start again at a new place. I am grateful for the existence of these two works (and you will be too -- and no -- no one has paid me for this review -- I'm the one who has paid dearly all these years -- and continue to pay). Best of luck. "
~ Written on 2008-03-31

"As a registered nurse with post grad psych, I have learned a great deal about Bipolar II from this book. being a sufferer of bipolar myself, it has given me much greater insight and empowered me to change, and showed me what was illness driven and what was personality. I think everyone who works in mental health, and every person with bipolar alike should read this book. The writing style is easy to read, and medical terminology has been explained in simple terms. i would also go so far as to suggest family members read it too because it will help them understand."
~ Written on 2008-03-22