Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor

Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor

Author: Amy Gamble

Publisher:

Published: 2017-08-15

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 9781542541107

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A small-town childhood, a close-knit family, a successful career, and an Olympic athlete--this was Amy's life...until it wasn't.That's the thing about mental illness, it doesn't care where you grew up, how smart you are, how many awards you've won, or how much money you make. It's an equal opportunity destroyer.From the earliest signs, to the denial, the manic highs, and despondent lows, bipolar disorder has the power to affect every aspect of a person's life. It derailed Amy's athletic and corporate careers, ruined relationships, and caused a whirlwind of chaos within her family.But now she's ready to tell her story. Ready to share the darkest parts of her life in hope of showing those diagnosed with mental illness that there is a way to overcome this world of uncertainty--a way to live and thrive in the midst of this life-altering disease. This is Amy's story..."Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor is the heart-wrenching story of an Olympian's struggle with and eventual triumph over the terrifying highs and lows of the bipolar disorder. Through scenes of astonishing visceral and emotional power, Amy takes us from the successful team handball Olympian to the darker side of bipolar disorder. With remarkable honesty and humor, Amy shows the effects of this illness on the mind, body and soul of those who suffer with it. However, despite the struggles, this is not a book that brings the reader down, rather a road map for wellness and a vastly informative yet entertaining guided tour of bipolar disorder for those who don't understand it. This memoir is an excellent guide to a painful and difficult yet treatable illness. Amy's courage in sharing her experience is impressive and commendable. It will help others struggling with this illness feel less isolated and more hopeful."~Maura Andronic, MDPsychiatrist


Book Synopsis Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor by : Amy Gamble

Download or read book Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor written by Amy Gamble and published by . This book was released on 2017-08-15 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A small-town childhood, a close-knit family, a successful career, and an Olympic athlete--this was Amy's life...until it wasn't.That's the thing about mental illness, it doesn't care where you grew up, how smart you are, how many awards you've won, or how much money you make. It's an equal opportunity destroyer.From the earliest signs, to the denial, the manic highs, and despondent lows, bipolar disorder has the power to affect every aspect of a person's life. It derailed Amy's athletic and corporate careers, ruined relationships, and caused a whirlwind of chaos within her family.But now she's ready to tell her story. Ready to share the darkest parts of her life in hope of showing those diagnosed with mental illness that there is a way to overcome this world of uncertainty--a way to live and thrive in the midst of this life-altering disease. This is Amy's story..."Bipolar Disorder, My Biggest Competitor is the heart-wrenching story of an Olympian's struggle with and eventual triumph over the terrifying highs and lows of the bipolar disorder. Through scenes of astonishing visceral and emotional power, Amy takes us from the successful team handball Olympian to the darker side of bipolar disorder. With remarkable honesty and humor, Amy shows the effects of this illness on the mind, body and soul of those who suffer with it. However, despite the struggles, this is not a book that brings the reader down, rather a road map for wellness and a vastly informative yet entertaining guided tour of bipolar disorder for those who don't understand it. This memoir is an excellent guide to a painful and difficult yet treatable illness. Amy's courage in sharing her experience is impressive and commendable. It will help others struggling with this illness feel less isolated and more hopeful."~Maura Andronic, MDPsychiatrist

A First-Rate Madness

A First-Rate Madness

Author: Nassir Ghaemi

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2012-06-26

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 0143121332

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The New York Times bestseller “A glistening psychological history, faceted largely by the biographies of eight famous leaders . . .” —The Boston Globe “A provocative thesis . . . Ghaemi’s book deserves high marks for original thinking.” —The Washington Post “Provocative, fascinating.” —Salon.com Historians have long puzzled over the apparent mental instability of great and terrible leaders alike: Napoleon, Lincoln, Churchill, Hitler, and others. In A First-Rate Madness, Nassir Ghaemi, director of the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts Medical Center, offers a myth-shattering exploration of the powerful connections between mental illness and leadership and sets forth a controversial, compelling thesis: The very qualities that mark those with mood disorders also make for the best leaders in times of crisis. From the importance of Lincoln's "depressive realism" to the lackluster leadership of exceedingly sane men as Neville Chamberlain, A First-Rate Madness overturns many of our most cherished perceptions about greatness and the mind.


Book Synopsis A First-Rate Madness by : Nassir Ghaemi

Download or read book A First-Rate Madness written by Nassir Ghaemi and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-06-26 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times bestseller “A glistening psychological history, faceted largely by the biographies of eight famous leaders . . .” —The Boston Globe “A provocative thesis . . . Ghaemi’s book deserves high marks for original thinking.” —The Washington Post “Provocative, fascinating.” —Salon.com Historians have long puzzled over the apparent mental instability of great and terrible leaders alike: Napoleon, Lincoln, Churchill, Hitler, and others. In A First-Rate Madness, Nassir Ghaemi, director of the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts Medical Center, offers a myth-shattering exploration of the powerful connections between mental illness and leadership and sets forth a controversial, compelling thesis: The very qualities that mark those with mood disorders also make for the best leaders in times of crisis. From the importance of Lincoln's "depressive realism" to the lackluster leadership of exceedingly sane men as Neville Chamberlain, A First-Rate Madness overturns many of our most cherished perceptions about greatness and the mind.

The Kevin Show

The Kevin Show

Author: Mary Pilon

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2018-03-06

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1632866846

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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Monopolists, the "fascinating" (People) story of Olympian Kevin Hall and the syndrome that makes him believe he stars in a television show of his life. Meet Kevin Hall: brother, son, husband, father, and Olympic sailor. Kevin has an Ivy League degree, a winning smile, and throughout his adult life, he has been engaged in an ongoing battle with a person that doesn't exist to anyone but him: the Director. In the tradition of Kay Redfield Jamison's An Unquiet Mind, journalist and NYT bestselling author Mary Pilon's The Kevin Show reveals the many-sided struggle--of Kevin, his family, and the medical profession--to understand and treat a psychiatric disorder whose euphoric highs and creative ties to pop culture have become inextricable from Kevin's experience of himself. Kevin suffers from what doctors are beginning to call the "Truman Show" delusion, a form of bipolar disorder named for the 1998 movie in which the main character realizes he is the star of a reality TV show. When the Director commands Kevin to do things, the results often lead to handcuffs, hospitalization, or both. Once he nearly drove a car into Boston Harbor. His girlfriend, now wife, was in the passenger seat. Interweaving Kevin's perspective--including excerpts from his journals and sketches--with police reports, medical records, and interviews with those who were present at key moments in his life, The Kevin Show is a bracing, suspenseful, and eye-opening view of the role that mental health plays in a seemingly ordinary life.


Book Synopsis The Kevin Show by : Mary Pilon

Download or read book The Kevin Show written by Mary Pilon and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2018-03-06 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Monopolists, the "fascinating" (People) story of Olympian Kevin Hall and the syndrome that makes him believe he stars in a television show of his life. Meet Kevin Hall: brother, son, husband, father, and Olympic sailor. Kevin has an Ivy League degree, a winning smile, and throughout his adult life, he has been engaged in an ongoing battle with a person that doesn't exist to anyone but him: the Director. In the tradition of Kay Redfield Jamison's An Unquiet Mind, journalist and NYT bestselling author Mary Pilon's The Kevin Show reveals the many-sided struggle--of Kevin, his family, and the medical profession--to understand and treat a psychiatric disorder whose euphoric highs and creative ties to pop culture have become inextricable from Kevin's experience of himself. Kevin suffers from what doctors are beginning to call the "Truman Show" delusion, a form of bipolar disorder named for the 1998 movie in which the main character realizes he is the star of a reality TV show. When the Director commands Kevin to do things, the results often lead to handcuffs, hospitalization, or both. Once he nearly drove a car into Boston Harbor. His girlfriend, now wife, was in the passenger seat. Interweaving Kevin's perspective--including excerpts from his journals and sketches--with police reports, medical records, and interviews with those who were present at key moments in his life, The Kevin Show is a bracing, suspenseful, and eye-opening view of the role that mental health plays in a seemingly ordinary life.

This Fragile Life

This Fragile Life

Author: Charlotte Pierce-Baker

Publisher: Chicago Review Press

Published: 2012-06-01

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 1613741111

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Charlotte Pierce-Baker did everything right when raising her son, providing not only emotional support but the best education possible. At age twenty-five, he was pursuing a postgraduate degree and seemingly in control of his life. She never imagined her high-achieving son would wind up handcuffed, dirty, and in jail. The moving story of an African American family facing the challenge of bipolar disorder, This Fragile Life provides insight into mental disorders as well as family dynamics. Pierce-Baker traces the evolution of her son's illness and, in looking back, realizes she mistook warning signs for typical child and teen behavior. Hospitalizations, calls in the night, alcohol and drug relapses, pleas for money, and continuous disputes, her son's journey was long, arduous, and almost fatal. This Fragile Life weaves a fascinating story of mental illness, race, family, the drive of African Americans to succeed, and a mother's love for her son.


Book Synopsis This Fragile Life by : Charlotte Pierce-Baker

Download or read book This Fragile Life written by Charlotte Pierce-Baker and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2012-06-01 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charlotte Pierce-Baker did everything right when raising her son, providing not only emotional support but the best education possible. At age twenty-five, he was pursuing a postgraduate degree and seemingly in control of his life. She never imagined her high-achieving son would wind up handcuffed, dirty, and in jail. The moving story of an African American family facing the challenge of bipolar disorder, This Fragile Life provides insight into mental disorders as well as family dynamics. Pierce-Baker traces the evolution of her son's illness and, in looking back, realizes she mistook warning signs for typical child and teen behavior. Hospitalizations, calls in the night, alcohol and drug relapses, pleas for money, and continuous disputes, her son's journey was long, arduous, and almost fatal. This Fragile Life weaves a fascinating story of mental illness, race, family, the drive of African Americans to succeed, and a mother's love for her son.

What Goes Up--surviving the Manic Episode of a Loved One

What Goes Up--surviving the Manic Episode of a Loved One

Author: Judy Eron

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781569802854

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In 1987, Judy Eron married a brilliant man. Her husband, Jim, was bipolar but remained stable until a vacation the couple took in June 1996, when he forgot to bring his prescribed lithium and quickly launched into a year-long manic phase. His mania culminated, inevitably, in severe depression that led to his suicide in October 1997. During those confusing and frightening months, Jim became a stranger to Judy. Even she, a mental health counselor, and he, a psychologist, could not prevent Jim's downward spiral, although as she now knows, there were many "wrong" choices that Judy could have avoided making. During Jim's prolonged manic phase, Judy was unable to find any literature focused on the manic element of bipolar disorder. After his death, she set out to write the kind of book she had sought. What Goes Up... is more than just Judy's story of loving and living with someone in the manic phase. Drawing on her experience as a mental health counselor, Eron offers advice and coping strategies for readers with loved ones or friends who also suffer from this illness. She provides advice on what they should expect from someone in the midst of a manic episode, how to engage with that person, how to get help for that person, and how to maintain their own sanity and strength in the face of such unpredictable and intense behavior. Book jacket.


Book Synopsis What Goes Up--surviving the Manic Episode of a Loved One by : Judy Eron

Download or read book What Goes Up--surviving the Manic Episode of a Loved One written by Judy Eron and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1987, Judy Eron married a brilliant man. Her husband, Jim, was bipolar but remained stable until a vacation the couple took in June 1996, when he forgot to bring his prescribed lithium and quickly launched into a year-long manic phase. His mania culminated, inevitably, in severe depression that led to his suicide in October 1997. During those confusing and frightening months, Jim became a stranger to Judy. Even she, a mental health counselor, and he, a psychologist, could not prevent Jim's downward spiral, although as she now knows, there were many "wrong" choices that Judy could have avoided making. During Jim's prolonged manic phase, Judy was unable to find any literature focused on the manic element of bipolar disorder. After his death, she set out to write the kind of book she had sought. What Goes Up... is more than just Judy's story of loving and living with someone in the manic phase. Drawing on her experience as a mental health counselor, Eron offers advice and coping strategies for readers with loved ones or friends who also suffer from this illness. She provides advice on what they should expect from someone in the midst of a manic episode, how to engage with that person, how to get help for that person, and how to maintain their own sanity and strength in the face of such unpredictable and intense behavior. Book jacket.

Bipolar Me

Bipolar Me

Author: Janet Coburn

Publisher: Sarah Fader

Published: 2018-09-20

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 9781949351095

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Janet Coburn draws on the posts from her award-winning blog, Bipolar Me, to illuminate the life of persons who live with bipolar disorder. As a woman living with bipolar 2 disorder, the author has direct experience of the subjects she covers and opens her life to readers. With chapters covering symptoms, treatments, the ups and downs of everyday life, and more, the author provides both valuable information and personal stories of struggles with mental illness. She wants people to know that help, healing, and a rich, rewarding life are possible.This book is recommended for anyone who is interested in or has bipolar disorder, and for people who are family, friends, or loved ones of someone who lives with the condition.


Book Synopsis Bipolar Me by : Janet Coburn

Download or read book Bipolar Me written by Janet Coburn and published by Sarah Fader. This book was released on 2018-09-20 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Janet Coburn draws on the posts from her award-winning blog, Bipolar Me, to illuminate the life of persons who live with bipolar disorder. As a woman living with bipolar 2 disorder, the author has direct experience of the subjects she covers and opens her life to readers. With chapters covering symptoms, treatments, the ups and downs of everyday life, and more, the author provides both valuable information and personal stories of struggles with mental illness. She wants people to know that help, healing, and a rich, rewarding life are possible.This book is recommended for anyone who is interested in or has bipolar disorder, and for people who are family, friends, or loved ones of someone who lives with the condition.

The Bipolar II Disorder Workbook

The Bipolar II Disorder Workbook

Author: Stephanie McMurrich Roberts

Publisher: New Harbinger Publications

Published: 2014-02-02

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 1608827682

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Most people have heard of bipolar disorder, a mental health condition that is marked by manic episodes and periods of intense depression. Bipolar II disorder differs from bipolar I in that sufferers may never experience a full manic episode, although they may experience periods of high energy and impulsiveness (hypomania), as well as depression and anxiety. If you have been diagnosed with bipolar II, or even if you think that you may have this disorder, you may be frightened by the highs and lows of your intense emotions. Fortunately, there are proven-effective treatments that can help you find a sense of calm and peace of mind. Written by an extremely accomplished team of bipolar experts, The Bipolar II Disorder Workbook is designed to help you manage the recurring depression, hypomania, and anxiety that can arise as a result of your condition. The convenient workbook format combines evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and other mindfulness-based exercises to help you manage your emotions, track your progress, and ultimately live a happy and more productive life. This is the first self-help workbook available specifically for individuals diagnosed with bipolar II disorder.


Book Synopsis The Bipolar II Disorder Workbook by : Stephanie McMurrich Roberts

Download or read book The Bipolar II Disorder Workbook written by Stephanie McMurrich Roberts and published by New Harbinger Publications. This book was released on 2014-02-02 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most people have heard of bipolar disorder, a mental health condition that is marked by manic episodes and periods of intense depression. Bipolar II disorder differs from bipolar I in that sufferers may never experience a full manic episode, although they may experience periods of high energy and impulsiveness (hypomania), as well as depression and anxiety. If you have been diagnosed with bipolar II, or even if you think that you may have this disorder, you may be frightened by the highs and lows of your intense emotions. Fortunately, there are proven-effective treatments that can help you find a sense of calm and peace of mind. Written by an extremely accomplished team of bipolar experts, The Bipolar II Disorder Workbook is designed to help you manage the recurring depression, hypomania, and anxiety that can arise as a result of your condition. The convenient workbook format combines evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and other mindfulness-based exercises to help you manage your emotions, track your progress, and ultimately live a happy and more productive life. This is the first self-help workbook available specifically for individuals diagnosed with bipolar II disorder.

Fast Girl

Fast Girl

Author: Suzy Favor Hamilton

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2015-09-14

Total Pages: 170

ISBN-13: 0062346210

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The former middle distance Olympic runner and high-end escort speaks out for the first time about her battle with mental illness, and how mania controlled and compelled her in competition, but also in life. This is a heartbreakingly honest yet hopeful memoir reminiscent of Manic, Electroboy, and An Unquiet Mind. During the 1990s, three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton was the darling of American track and field. An outstanding runner, a major sports apparel spokesperson, and a happily married wife, she was the model for an active, healthy, and wholesome life. But her perfect facade masked a dark truth: manic depression and bipolar disorder that drove her obsession to perform and win. For years after leaving the track, Suzy wrestled with her condition, as well as the loss of a close friend, conflicted feelings about motherhood and her marriage, and lingering shame about her athletic career. After a misdiagnosis and a recommendation for medication that only exacerbated her mania and made her hypersexual, Suzy embarked on a new path, and assumed a new identity. Fueled by a newfound confidence, a feeling of strength and independence and a desire she couldn’t tamp down, she became a high-priced escort in Las Vegas, working as “Kelly.” But Suzy could not keep her double life a secret forever. When it was eventually exposed, it sent her into a reckless suicidal period where the only option seemed out. Finally, with the help of her devoted husband, Suzy finally got the proper medical help she needed. In this startling frank memoir, she recounts the journey to outrun her demons, revealing how a woman used to physically controlling her body learned to come to terms with her unstable mind. It is the story of a how a supreme competitor scored her most important victory of all—reclaiming her life from the ravages of an untreated mental illness. Today, thanks to diagnosis, therapy, Kelly has stepped into the shadows, but Suzy is building a better life, one day at a time. Sharing her story, Suzy is determined to raise awareness, provide understanding, and offer inspiration to others coping with their own challenges.


Book Synopsis Fast Girl by : Suzy Favor Hamilton

Download or read book Fast Girl written by Suzy Favor Hamilton and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2015-09-14 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The former middle distance Olympic runner and high-end escort speaks out for the first time about her battle with mental illness, and how mania controlled and compelled her in competition, but also in life. This is a heartbreakingly honest yet hopeful memoir reminiscent of Manic, Electroboy, and An Unquiet Mind. During the 1990s, three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton was the darling of American track and field. An outstanding runner, a major sports apparel spokesperson, and a happily married wife, she was the model for an active, healthy, and wholesome life. But her perfect facade masked a dark truth: manic depression and bipolar disorder that drove her obsession to perform and win. For years after leaving the track, Suzy wrestled with her condition, as well as the loss of a close friend, conflicted feelings about motherhood and her marriage, and lingering shame about her athletic career. After a misdiagnosis and a recommendation for medication that only exacerbated her mania and made her hypersexual, Suzy embarked on a new path, and assumed a new identity. Fueled by a newfound confidence, a feeling of strength and independence and a desire she couldn’t tamp down, she became a high-priced escort in Las Vegas, working as “Kelly.” But Suzy could not keep her double life a secret forever. When it was eventually exposed, it sent her into a reckless suicidal period where the only option seemed out. Finally, with the help of her devoted husband, Suzy finally got the proper medical help she needed. In this startling frank memoir, she recounts the journey to outrun her demons, revealing how a woman used to physically controlling her body learned to come to terms with her unstable mind. It is the story of a how a supreme competitor scored her most important victory of all—reclaiming her life from the ravages of an untreated mental illness. Today, thanks to diagnosis, therapy, Kelly has stepped into the shadows, but Suzy is building a better life, one day at a time. Sharing her story, Suzy is determined to raise awareness, provide understanding, and offer inspiration to others coping with their own challenges.

Crazy Enough

Crazy Enough

Author: Storm Large

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2012-01-10

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1439192405

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The popular indie rock performer describes her battle against the hereditary mental illness that decimated her mother's health and prompted the author to engage in a self-destructive downward spiral before discovering her musical talent.


Book Synopsis Crazy Enough by : Storm Large

Download or read book Crazy Enough written by Storm Large and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-01-10 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The popular indie rock performer describes her battle against the hereditary mental illness that decimated her mother's health and prompted the author to engage in a self-destructive downward spiral before discovering her musical talent.

Wasted

Wasted

Author: Marya Hornbacher

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2014-05-27

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 006236362X

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A classic of psychology and eating disorders, now reissued with an important and perhaps controversial new afterword by the author, Wasted is New York Times bestselling author Marya Hornbacher's highly acclaimed memoir that chronicles her battle with anorexia and bulimia. Vivid, honest, and emotionally wrenching, Wasted is the story of how Marya Hornbacher willingly embraced hunger, drugs, sex, and death—until a particularly horrifying bout with anorexia and bulimia in college forever ended the romance of wasting away. In this updated edition, Hornbacher, an authority in the field of eating disorders, argues that recovery is not only possible, it is necessary. But the journey is not easy or guaranteed. With a new ending to her story that adds a contemporary edge, Wasted continues to be timely and relevant.


Book Synopsis Wasted by : Marya Hornbacher

Download or read book Wasted written by Marya Hornbacher and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2014-05-27 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A classic of psychology and eating disorders, now reissued with an important and perhaps controversial new afterword by the author, Wasted is New York Times bestselling author Marya Hornbacher's highly acclaimed memoir that chronicles her battle with anorexia and bulimia. Vivid, honest, and emotionally wrenching, Wasted is the story of how Marya Hornbacher willingly embraced hunger, drugs, sex, and death—until a particularly horrifying bout with anorexia and bulimia in college forever ended the romance of wasting away. In this updated edition, Hornbacher, an authority in the field of eating disorders, argues that recovery is not only possible, it is necessary. But the journey is not easy or guaranteed. With a new ending to her story that adds a contemporary edge, Wasted continues to be timely and relevant.