Julie A. Fast - Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and helping your partner

Julie A. Fast is a leading bipolar disorder specialist and a critically acclaimed national speaker, family coach, and sought-after media source. She has been featured in US Weekly, Self Magazine, and on national radio, and is a bipolar expert for www.sharecare.com. She blogs at www.juliefast.com and is coauthor of Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and Get It Done When Youre Depressed. She lives in Portland, OR.

John D. Preston, PsyD, ABPP, is professor emeritus at Alliant International University in Sacramento, CA, and a bipolar expert for www.sharecare .com. He is author or coauthor of over twenty books addressing psychotherapy, psychiatric medication treatment, and neurobiology, including the Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists. He has presented continuing education conferences internationally. He lives in Shingle Springs, CA.

Resources for individuals with bipolar disorder are few and far between, but those for the people who care for them are even scarcer. Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston have put together a valuable resource for families and caregivers of people with bipolar disorder. Taking a holistic perspective, these authors offer advice that will help readers help their loved ones with bipolar disorder. More importantly, this book encourages and helps readers to take good care of themselves and their relationships.

Sheri Van Dijk, MSW, RSW, psychotherapist and author of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder, The Bipolar Workbook for Teens, and other books

Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston have put together an impressive second-edition guide for couples struggling with the reality of bipolar disorder. They strive to decouple the diagnosis from the individual living with it. This premise lays the groundwork for their discussion of compassionate, non-blaming communication combined with effective couples-based solutions for those striving to work through the interpersonal complexities of a relationship impacted by bipolar disorder. Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder really is a must-read for anyone who does.

Russ Federman, PhD, ABPP, director of counseling and psychological services at the University of Virginia and author of Facing Bipolar

I am truly impressed with this wonderful book. I will have it in my office and recommend it to patients partners as a matter of course as they go through the journey with this illness.

Steven Juergens, MD

More than an education about bipolar disorder, this is a welcome to the journey, in the kindest language you will find in any such book. Open to any page and you will notice the tone and wisdom of people whove obviously been there. Its a challenge to maintain a relationship with someone who has this illness. Youd do well to have a guide, and you will not find any better than Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston. Nor will you find any clearer advice than that which the authors have laid out. Their book is remarkably emotionally intelligent and a privilege to read.

James Phelps, MD, mood disorders specialist at Samaritan Mental Health in Corvallis, OR, and author of Why Am I Still Depressed?

This book will help the loved ones of people living with bipolar disorder to better understand its challenges. It provides clear, concrete ways of giving the support needed to keep their loved ones healthy and get them through the rough spots.

Ruth White, PhD, MPH, MSW, associate professor of social work at Seattle University and author of Bipolar 101

Publishers Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2012 by Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

www.newharbinger.com

Cover design by Amy Shoup; Text design by Tracy Carlson;

Acquired by Melissa Kirk; Edited by Nicola Skidmore

All Rights Reserved

___________

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fast, Julie A.

Loving someone with bipolar disorder : understanding and helping your partner / Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston. -- 2nd ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-60882-219-5 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-60882-220-1 (pdf e-book) -- ISBN 978-1-60882-221-8 (epub)

1. Manic-depressive illness--Popular works. 2. Manic-depressive persons--Family relationships--Popular works. I. Preston, John, 1950- II. Title.

RC516.F376 2012

616.895--dc23

2011039637

To Ivan Kanis and Julia Gray Alverson

J.F.

To Lauren Preston

J.P.