Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder

"This book is excellent and has made a difference to the relationship I have with my mother. I can tell that she has taken on board the advice given as now instead of fuelling an irrational outburst, she is able to bring me back to being in control very quickly.

I'm not a bad person and this book has helped me and her to recognise this. I am also able to help myself a lot more now.

As a side note, these are some things you should never say to someone during an episode:

'get to the doctor because your medication is obviously not working'
'grow up / stop behaving like a child'
'you are crazy / insane'
'you are being stupid / silly / irrational / making no sense'
'i cannot deal with you right now'
'make an effort'"
~ Written on 2010-02-11

"I have bipolar. My sister has bipolar. We both love this book. We have each marked up our books. My sister has given hers to my mom who is learning about her daughters' illness. For anyone who wants to know about bipolar. It's put simply and in a loving manner. I have a bipolar book collection now and this is one of my 2 favorites. My other favorite is The Up and Down Life by Paul E. Jones. A very REAL book. He says it how it is."
~ Written on 2010-02-10

"It seems a good book that shares ideas about what you can do if you want to help someone you love with bipolar disorder, a cronic illness. It was writen by a bipolar and a doctor."
~ Written on 2009-12-13

"I have recently fallen head over heels in love with a man who suffers from bipolar disorder. I have done some research on BD over the past year because I have been involved with the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research (www.seancostellofund.org), but nothing could have prepared me for being in a relationship with someone with this disorder. After a bad episode, I went online to see if I could find some guidance and I was led to this book. Wow! This book has really opened my eyes and helped me to learn different techniques to help my boyfriend when his symptoms start. I recommend this book for anyone who has a partner with BD. It will help you to cope with the mood swings."
~ Written on 2009-10-08

"I have many years experience working with people with this disorder and this book did more for me than all my years of college and experience on the job. It opened my eyes to what I had been missing and some things I used to blame on the person instead of seeing the behaviors, words or reactivity as a part of a large puzzle directly influenced and often controlled by this disorder. This book gives readers hope. It provides insight into the thoughts, feelings, and interpretations of situations by someone who has bipolar disorder. The authors acknowledge the difficulties, struggles, and set-backs often seen with this disorder. It gives the reader and their partner (when they are ready and able) a starting point and a process to find what works for them and in their lives. The book promotes basic understanding of symptoms, how to recognize triggers when they first appear and what has worked to minimize or offset the downhill spiral of symptoms that takes over the person. I highly recommend this for anyone who has a loved one who has bipolar disorder."
~ Written on 2009-05-22