Julie A. Fast - Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder: A 4-Step Plan for You and Your Loved Ones to Manage the Illness and Create Lasting Stability

The advice herein is not intended to replace the services of trained health professionals, or be a substitute for medical advice. You are advised to consult with your health care professional with regard to matters relating to your health, and in particular regarding matters that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Copyright 2006 by Julie A. Fast and John Preston, PsyD.

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Originally published in trade paperback by Grand Central Life & Style, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, in September 2006

First Grand Central Publishing edition: September 2019

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fast, Julie A.

Take charge of bipolar disorder : a 4-step plan for you and your loved ones to manage the illness and create lasting stability / Julie A. Fast and John Preston.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-0-446-69761-3

ISBN-10: 0-446-69761-3

1. Manic-depressive illnessPopular works. 2. Manic-depressive personsRehabilitationPopular works. I. Preston, John, 1950 II. Title.

RC516.F377 2006

616.89'506dc22 2006006826

ISBNs: 978-0-446-69761-3 (trade paperback), 978-0-446-55480-0 (ebook)

E3-20190920-PDJ-PC-COR

WHAT IS THE TAKE CHARGE 4-STEP TREATMENT PLAN?

This unique, personalized approach to controlling bipolar disorder combines medication and supplements, lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, and learning how to ask for help. Groundbreaking and comprehensive, this book gives you everything you need to implement a powerful four-pronged attack on the symptoms and cycles of bipolar disorder. Youll find an arsenal of tools to choose from, including:

Technical facts about bipolar disorder and how its diagnosed

Real-life stories of people with bipolar disorder and how they cope

Sidebars packed with information especially for family and friends

Written exercises you can do on your own or with loved ones

A comprehensive overview of medications, their side effects, and how to find the right balance for you

Questionnaires and charts for keeping track of everything from your finances and work history to your medications and hospital visits

Tool boxes at the end of each chapter that review key points covered in each section

PLUS: A selection of online resources and suggested reading.

TAKE CHARGE OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

For my family,
Rebecca Alverson,
Ed Fast,
David Grayson Fast,
and
Ellen Schlotfeldt

Julie A. Fast

For Matt and David

John Preston

Many different people will read this book:

People recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ready to find a way to manage the illness successfully.

People living with bipolar disorder for many years who hope to find more tools to manage the illness more effectively.

Family members who just went through the harrowing experience of checking someone into the hospital.

Grandparents, parents, siblings, and friends of someone who is really struggling or refuses to get help.

Health care professionals who want to learn more effective techniques to use with their clients.

Whoever you are, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder has something for you. A comprehensive treatment plan doesnt leave anyone out. Everyone matters, and everyone can help and find help. Bipolar disorder does not only affect the person with the illness. It affects everyone who has a close relationship with the person who has the illness. Because of this, this book discusses the needs of the person with bipolar disorder as well as the needs of family members, friends, and health care professionals.

YOUR CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS

Bipolar disorder is a very complex illness. Its also very serious and often life threatening. Thus, the person with the illness must use a variety of techniques to manage it successfully. Although some people can use medications alone to get back to a normal life, for many people this isnt the reality. In fact, many people with bipolar disorder realize that they need more than medications, but they arent sure of their choices. Its the norm for people to struggle for a year or more until they find the correct treatment plan that combines medications and supplements, lifestyle changes, behavior modifications, and the most effective way to ask for help. The goal of this book is to help you find the right combination of treatments for lasting stability.

WHAT IS THE TAKE CHARGE 4-STEP TREATMENT PLAN?

The 4-Step Treatment Plan can be seen as a pie. One quarter of the pie is medications and supplements. The next quarter includes lifestyle changes. The third quarter covers behavioral changes, while the final piece of the pie teaches people with bipolar disorder how to reach out for support and ask for help from the right people.

WHY YOUR BRAIN IS DIFFERENT

The first step in starting the 4-Step Plan is reminding yourself that youre treating an illness, not a personal problem. You need help and treatment because your brain is different. Brains are designed to be flexible and responsive to the physical and emotional stresses in the environment. For many people, their brains do this effectively. Unfortunately, the brains of people with bipolar disorder dont function in the same way. To use the diabetes model, just as a person with diabetes cant by willpower alone regulate his or her insulin and blood sugar levels, you as a person with bipolar disorder have a brain that cant regulate itself chemically the way the normal brain canespecially when it comes to regulating emotions. This is nothing personal or bad. It certainly causes problems in your life and can be very frustrating, but with the correct treatment plan, you can learn to help your brain respond to life a bit more effectively. You do have options.

The following section is an overview of the book that will explain how the chapters fit into the 4-Step Treatment Plan. Though it may be tempting to skip this section and move ahead, it actually contains vital information that you will need to create your own successful and effective treatment plan. It is crucial to begin by having a glimpse of what is involved in a truly comprehensive approach to managing this illness. So read on.