Living with Someone Who's Living with Bipolar Disorder : a Practical Guide for Family, Friends, and Coworkers / Chelsea Lowe and Bruce M
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Living with Someone Who’s Living with Bipolar Disorder IF YOU LOVE SOMEONE WHO HAS BIPOLAR DISORDER, this warm, some- LOWE times humorous, user-friendly book will give you the information you need to deal with COHEN changing moods, turbulent ups and downs, depression, mania, and other behaviors that are disturbing. Designed as a hands-on guide and written in everyday, nontechni- Who’s Living with Bipolar Disorder Who’s Living cal language, the book offers practical answers to the most commonly asked questions about bipolar disorder. with “A spellbinding look. For those touched personally by this long misunderstood disor- with Someone Living der—a must-read that could change your life.” —PATRICIA CORNWELL, best-selling mystery author Someone “With this book, Dr. Cohen and Chelsea Lowe will bring palpable comfort to those whose lives have been affected by bipolar disorders.” —GLENN CLOSE, award-winning actress and advocate Who’s Living with “This is a much-needed book. Although common, bipolar disorder remains widely misunderstood. Chelsea Lowe and Bruce Cohen have written a highly accessible book full of accurate and useful information.” —STEVEN E. HYMAN, provost, Harvard University; former director, National Institute of Mental Health Bipolar Disorder THE AUTHORS CHELSEA LOWE is a health writer and essayist and the author of The Everything Health Guide to OCD. She has written feature articles and essays for NPR, Newsweek, A Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, and other publications. Practical A Practical Guide for Guide BRUCE M. COHEN, MD, PhD, is emeritus director of the Harvard University– for affi liated McLean Hospital and the Robertson-Steele Professor of Psychiatry at Har- Family, Family, Friends, and Coworkers vard Medical School. Dr. Cohen is a national leader in the study and treatment of Friends, bipolar disorders. and Coworkers PSYCHOLOGY $18.95 U.S. | $22.95 Canada CHELSEA LOWE www.josseybass.com BRUCE M. COHEN, MD, PhD Cover art © istock.com Cover design by Jeff Puda E1FFIRS 11/11/2009 12:55:17 Page 2 E1FFIRS 11/11/2009 12:55:17 Page 1 Living with Someone Who’sLiving with Bipolar Disorder E1FFIRS 11/11/2009 12:55:17 Page 2 E1FFIRS 11/11/2009 12:55:17 Page 3 Living with Someone Who’sLiving with Bipolar Disorder A Practical Guide for Family, Friends, and Coworkers Chelsea Lowe and Bruce M. Cohen, MD, PhD E1FFIRS 11/11/2009 12:55:17 Page 4 Copyright # 2010 by Chelsea Lowe and Bruce M. Cohen. All rights reserved. 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No warranty may be created or extended by any promotional statements for this work. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any damages arising herefrom. While the accounts contained herein are factual, details contained in personal histories have been altered to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Jossey-Bass books and products are available through most bookstores. To contact Jossey-Bass directly call our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-956-7739, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3986, or fax 317-572-4002. Jossey-Bass also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lowe, Chelsea. Living with someone who's living with bipolar disorder : a practical guide for family, friends, and coworkers / Chelsea Lowe and Bruce M. Cohen. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-470-47566-9 (pbk.) 1. Manic-depressive illness–Popular works. I. Cohen, Bruce M. II. Title. RC516.L69 2010 616.89'5–dc22 2009033973 Printed in the United States of America FIRST EDITION PB Printing 10987654321 E1FDED 10/29/2009 9:59:57 Page 7 To our agent, Gina Panettieri—you rock!—and to my six parental units —Chelsea Lowe To my mom and dad, who both in their own ways spent their lives caring for others —Bruce M. Cohen E1FDED 10/29/2009 9:59:57 Page 8 E1FTOC 10/22/2009 19:15:8 Page 5 CONTENTS Preface ix Introduction xiii Part One Understanding Bipolar Disorder 1 1 What Is (and Isn’t) Bipolar Disorder? 3 2 A Brief, Colorful History (and Some Science) of Bipolar Disorder 19 3 Getting an Accurate Diagnosis 35 4 Understanding Medication 53 5 Understanding Psychosocial Therapies and Medical Treatment Options 71 Part Two Living with Your Partner 87 6 Building a Support Team 89 7 Bipolar Disorders and the Workplace 107 8 Communication and Coping Skills 127 9 Coping with Negative and Dangerous Behaviors 147 v E1FTOC 10/22/2009 19:15:8 Page 6 vi Contents 10 Sex, Intimacy, and Relationship Issues 161 11 Suicide Attempts, Hospitalization, and Commitment 177 12 Family Matters 193 Appendix: Excerpts from the DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Bipolar Disorder 209 Notes 233 Resources 237 About the Authors 245 Index 247 E1FPREF 10/29/2009 14:33:41 Page 9 PREFACE y very first psychiatric patient had a form of bipolar Mdisorder. She was a brilliant young woman whose illness had disrupted her life, her career, and her relationships. Fortunately, her symptoms first waned and then vanished in the face of comprehensive treatment. Her astonishing experiences—of mood swings and delusions followed by sanity, of wild behaviors and speech that resolved to reveal a wise and thoughtful wife and mother—convinced me that I wanted to spend my career trying to understand and improve care for people with this fascinating condition. For more than thirty years, I have specialized in the psychiatric treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. I have helped care for thousands of patients, and run a major hospital dedicated to those with psychiatric disorders. As a researcher, I have sought and still actively seek to develop new and better treatments. I have written many articles and chapters, both on my own work and to guide others studying and treating bipolar disorder. Along with many others in my field, I have kept looking for better ways to help. ix E1FPREF 10/29/2009 14:33:42 Page 10 x Preface Early in my career, I recognized the importance of including partners and relatives of the patient in my own care of those with psychiatric illnesses. Often my patients brought their partners to appointments; sometimes they were brought by their partners. I soon learned that things almost always went better when a partner was involved: I got more information; my patient got more help and support. After all, patients don’t just need doctors. Yes, they need a thorough personal evaluation, fol- lowed by professional monitoring and treatment; but they also need a well-organized life. All these needs are best addressed with the involvement of people who care enough to learn about the illness and be part of the overall plan of treatment. When Chelsea Lowe asked me to contribute to this book— written to address the needs of the partners of people living with bipolar disease—I thought she had a wonderful idea, and I was glad to help. As I spoke to patients and their partners, relatives, and friends, I had come to see the effects of bipolar disorder on them all. I realized that partners wanted to be involved and supportive, but didn’t know how. They needed to know what was happening, what would make things better, what was dangerous and might make things worse, what roles they could play.