Bipolar disorder -- manic depression -- was once thought to be rare in children. Now researchers are discovering not only that bipolar disorder can begin early in life, but that it is much more common than ever imagined. Yet the illness is often misdiagnosed and mistreated with medications that can exacerbate the symptoms. Why? Bipolar disorder manifests itself differently in children than in adults, and in children there is an overlap of symptoms with other childhood psychiatric disorders. As a result, these kids may be labeled with any of a number of psychiatric conditions: ADHD, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder. Too often they are treated with stimulants or antidepressants -- medications that can actually worsen the bipolar condition. Since the publication of its first edition, The Bipolar Child has helped many thousands of families get to the root cause of their children's behaviors and symptoms and find what they need to know. The Papoloses comprehensively detail the diagnosis, explain how to find good treatment and medications, and advise parents about ways to advocate effectively for their children in school. In this edition, a greatly expanded education chapter describes all the changes in educational law due to the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and offers a multitude of ideas for parents and educators to help the children feel more comfortable in the academic environment. The book also contains crucial information about hospitalization, the importance of neuropsychological testing (with a recommended battery of tests), and the world of insurance. Included in these pages is information on promising new drugs, greater insight into the special concerns of teenagers, and additional sections on the impact of the illness on the family. In addition, an entirely new chapter focuses on major advances taking place in the field of molecular genetics and offers hope that researchers will better understand the illness and develop more targeted and easier-to-tolerate medicines.

Many of the difficulties associated with anxiety, depression, excessive worrying, anger, and distraction are related to five specific systems in the brain. Dr. Amen explains how these systems work and how malfunctions can affect your behavior. If you've always believed that you were just going to have to live with the way you are, you'll be amazed by the vivid before-and-after brain scans of some of the thousands of patients that have been successfully treated at the Amen Clinic--visual proof that the right treatment can help you. You certainly don't need a brain scan to understand the basis of your particular problem or implement the correct solution, but these striking images will inspire you to make meaningful and effective changes.

Healing Anxiety and Depression reveals the major anxiety and depression centers of the brain; offers guidelines and diagnostic tools to determine the specific type of anxiety and depression; and provides a comprehensive program for treating each type. The treatment includes medication, diet, supplements, exercise, and social and therapeutic support. Based on new brain science, Healing Anxiety and Depression is a groundbreaking, practical guide to conquering these potentially devastating disorders.

In A Mind Apart, Susanne Antonetta draws on her personal experience with manic depression, as well as interviews with people with multiple personality disorder, autism, schizophrenia, and other "neuroatypical" conditions, to construct a fascinating portrait of how the world shapes itself in minds that are profoundly different from the norm. As with her previous book, which Michael Pollan praised in the New York Times Book Review as "a challenge to our prevailing notions of science and journalism and even literary narrative," A Mind Apart employs a unique fusion of literary genres to draw readers into the experience of people with neurological conditions and to consider what their alternate ways of perceiving may, in fact, have to teach us. According to the United States Department of Health the number of people being diagnosed with autism has been increasing by approximately twenty percent a year over the last decade. AD/HD, Tourette's, and chronic depression have been spreading at commensurate rates. Sifting through the many abilities that underlie these and other mental "disabilities"- the "visual consciousness" of an autistic or the "metaphoric consciousness" of a manic-depressive-Antonetta reveals just how much "normally" functioning people can learn from those with neurological disorders. This fascinating blend of memoir, journalism, and science will be of deep interest to readers of Temple Grandin's Thinking in Pictures or Andrew Solomon's The Noonday Demon.

The Cognitive Behaviour Therapy program Exploring Feelings was designed by the author to be highly structured, interesting and successful in encouraging the cognitive control of emotions. Every child participating in the program has a workbook for the six two-hour sessions that includes activities and information to explore the specific feelings of being happy, relaxed, anxious or angry. There are sections in the workbook to record individual comments and responses to questions. At the end of each session, a project is explained to the child, which is to be completed before the next session. At the start of the next session the project is discussed with the person implementing the program or the group of participants using the program. A metaphor was created of the child being an astronaut or scientist exploring a new planet, as the author has noted that children with Asperger syndrome are often interested in exploration of the physical world, science and science fiction. The Exploring Feelings program is designed to explore the mental world from a scientific perspective. There are two Exploring Feelings programs, one is designed to explore and manage anxiety, the other to explore and manage anger. The original program was designed for small groups of two to five children between the ages of 9 and 12 years, with two adults conducting the program. However, the Exploring Feelings program can easily be modified so that it can be used with just one child. The activities can also be modified to be age appropriate for an adolescent or adult. The program was designed as a treatment for an anxiety disorder or anger management problem in children with Asperger's syndrome but the program can be equally applied to children with High Functioning Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS). The author also designed the program so that it does not have to be implemented by a qualified psychologist. A teacher, speech pathologist, occupational therapist or parent could implement the program without having training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

When eighteen-year-old Mark returned home from his first semester at college, his family thought he was on drugs. In fact, he was suffering from manic depression, a devastating mental illness that affects millions of Americans and their loved ones. Diane Berger is Mark's mother and Lisa Berger is Diane's sister. Together they share both the intimate and inspiring story of how their family coped with Mark's illness and the valuable information they gathered about manic depression over the course of his treatment: up-to-date facts on drugs, doctors, therapy, insurance, and other resources. They reveal how to identify the symptoms of manic depression and avoid a false diagnosis, which treatments work and which don't -- as well as the emotional experience of a mother battling for the sanity and well-being of her child. Here is the story of emotional and dramatic power; here also is an invaluable guidebook through the medical mazes and challenges of surviving mental illness.

Bipolar disorder, a brain disorder characterized by intense high and low moods, is a complex illness that is often difficult to identify. Each year, at least 2.3 million Americans suffer from its most severe form, while an estimated 10�13 million others suffer from milder forms. Yet, many go misdiagnosed or untreated. In Bipolar Disorder Demystified, author Lana Castle, who has lived most of her life with this illness, turns her personal experience into an enlightening and useful guide for all those traveling down the same path. In clear and compassionate language, Castle helps those who suffer from the illness as well as their friends and family understand the true nature of bipolar disorder, the factors that complicate its diagnosis, and the best ways to cope with it. Bipolar Disorder Demystified makes great strides in dispelling the mystery surrounding this illness, helping readers decide if it's time to seek treatment and providing those with any form of mood disorder the information they need to better manage their lives.

If you're a parent of one of the more than one million children in this country with obsessive-compulsive disorder, you know how confusing, even frightening, the symptoms of OCD can be. You're terrified of losing your child and angry about the havoc this disorder has wreaked in your family. More than anything, you want to be able to unlock the secrets of OCD, understand the cause of your child's bizarre symptoms, and help your child break free of these disruptive, relentless thoughts and actions. In her landmark book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Dr. Tamar E. Chansky creates a clear road map to understanding and overcoming OCD based on her successful practice treating hundreds of children and teenagers with this disorder. In Part I, Dr. Chansky "cracks the code" of the peculiar rules and customs of OCD -- the handwashing, tapping, counting, and so forth. She explains how OCD is diagnosed, how to find the right therapist partner, and how to tailor treatment options to your child's needs. You'll learn how powerful behavioral modification can be and when medication can help. In Part II, you'll learn how not to be pulled in by your child's debilitating rituals at home or at school, how to talk to your child about the "brain tricks" OCD causes, and how to create an effective OCD battle plan that will empower your child to "boss back" the OCD monster. You'll also learn how to cope in moments of crisis. Part III offers specific advice for how to help your child handle the most common manifestations of OCD such as fears of contamination, checking, getting things "just right," intrusive thoughts, and more. Part IV is an indispensable guide to additional resources, including books, videos, organizations, and websites. Filled with Dr. Chansky's compassionate advice and inspiring words from the many children with OCD whom she has helped, this book will be your lifeline. Battling back from OCD is hard work, but with the comprehensive, proven guidance in this book, you can help your child reclaim a life free from its grip.

How many of us double check that we really have locked the door or switched off the iron? For some people, such mundane everyday worries can become life-ruining obsessions. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects one in fifty people and one of them was Ruth Deane. In this frank and personal account she shares her own experience as an OCD sufferer, from the first innocuous signs of onset to the devastating effect of the condition on her relationships with her family and friends, her self-esteem and her marriage. Ruth Deane takes the reader on a moving, honest and at times light-hearted journey, from washing her hands until they cracked and bled, to hospital admission and eventual management and recovery from OCD. This book offers hope and support to sufferers and an insight into the disorder for family, friends, professionals and all those who want or need to understand OCD and the recovery process.

In this wide-reaching and comprehensive book the psychologist Martine F. Delfos provides practical guidance on the diagnosis, support and treatment of a variety of childhood behavioural problems, including anxiety problems, aggression, depression and ADHD. Presenting a useful and compelling model of the interplay of environment, disposition and central nervous system development, Delfos shows how differences in brain structure between the sexes may have a part to play in behavioural problems in children and adolescents. Children and Behavioural Problems is an essential resource for teachers, psychologists, social workers and other professionals working with children, as well as for parents seeking to support their children with special needs throughout their development.

In her revealing bestseller Call Me Anna, Patty Duke shared her long-kept secret: the talented, Oscar-winning actress who won our hearts on The Patty Duke Show was suffering from a serious-but-treatable-mental illness called manic depression. For nearly twenty years, until she was correctly diagnosed at age thirty-five, she careened between periods of extreme euphoria and debilitating depression, prone to delusions and panic attacks, temper tantrums, spending sprees, and suicide attempts. Now in A Brilliant Madness Patty Duke joins with medical reporter Gloria Hochman to shed light on this powerful, paradoxical, and destructive illness. From what it's like to live with manic-depressive disorder to the latest findings on its most effective treatments, this compassionate and eloquent book provides profound insight into the challenge of mental illness. And though Patty's story, which ends in a newfound happiness with her cherished family, it offers hope for all those who suffer from mood disorders and for the family, friends, and physicians who love and care for them.

When a child or adolescent is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it's hard for his or her parents to know exactly what to do. What constitutes an effective therapeutic approach to help their bipolar child navigate childhood and adolescence? In this book, a psychiatrist and a psychologist, both specializing in mood disorders, offer a comprehensive overview of the available treatment options and most effective parenting strategies for dealing with this serious condition. In addition to a thorough explanation of the often necessary medical treatments for bipolar disorder, the book also details the importance of emotional regulation in bipolar children. Techniques for dealing with displays of rage, anger, and irritability in children are covered. The book also addresses sleep deprivation, one of the most common symptoms of childhood bipolar disorder, and the issues young people with bipolar disorder face in school. Subjects of particular interest to parents of older children and adolescents are covered, such as substance abuse, eating disorders, violence, and suicide. All of this information is complemented by advice on parental self-care and integrating the care of the bipolar child with the needs of the rest of the family.

When a person loves someone with bipolar disorder, life can be very stressful. From medication troubles to a partner's mood swings the demands on a partner can be intense. Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder takes a unique and practical approach to these issues. Written by an author who has bipolar disorder (and who lived with a partner who also has bipolar disorder) and a coauthor with over ten books on the topic of mental illness, the book offers specific, practical and realistic tips on how a couple can work together as a team to create a treatment plan that teaches them to live with the illness while still maintaining a loving and joyful relationship. (Though this book is written for couples, friends and family members can use the techniques in the book as well.) Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder provides hope and encourages couples to work together to create a plan they can use to help stabilize bipolar disorder so that their relationship can focus on love and companionship instead of the illness. Chapters include ideas on how to create a comprehensive treatment plan that incorporates medications and supplements, diet, exercise and behavior and lifestyle changes into one practical approach to this very serious illness. The partner of a person with bipolar disorder learns about communicating with their partner when they're ill, getting real about the situation and how to take on other roles in healing besides caretaking. Other specific topics include work and money, emotions, sexual issues and much more. The goal of the book is to help couples create a relationship that is based on support and prevention instead of constant crisis control.

Pocket text presents current information and a practical approach to the art and science of providing clinical care to children and adolescents with the disorder. Topics include definition, developments, diagnosis, case and mechanisms, mood stabilizers, and strategies and tactics.

The revolution in psychiatry that began in earnest in the 1960s led to dramatic advances in the understanding and treatment of manic-depressive illness. Hailed as the most outstanding book in the biomedical sciences when it was originally published in 1990, Manic-Depressive Illness was the first to survey this massive body of evidence comprehensively and to assess its meaning for both clinician and scientist. It also vividly portrayed the experience of manic-depressive illness from the perspective of patients, their doctors, and researchers. Encompassing an understanding about the illness as Kraeplin conceived of it- about its cyclical course and about the essential unity of its bipolar and recurrent unipolar forms- the book has become the definitive work on the topic, revered by both specialists and nonspecialists alike. Now, in this magnificent second edition, Drs. Frederick Goodwin and Kay Redfield Jamison bring their unique contribution to mental health science into the 21st century. In collaboration with a team of other leading scientists, a collaboration designed to preserve the unified voice of the two authors, they exhaustively review the biological and genetic literature that has dominated the field in recent years and incorporate cutting-edge research conducted since publication of the first edition. They also update their surveys of psychological and epidemiological evidence, as well as that pertaining to diagnostic issues, course, and outcome, and they offer practical guidelines for differential diagnosis and clinical management. The medical treatment of manic and depressive episodes is described, strategies for preventing future episodes are given in detail, and psychotherapeutic issues common in this illness are considered. Special emphasis is given to fostering compliance with medication regimens and treating patients who abuse drugs and alcohol or who pose a risk of suicide. This book, unique in the way that it retains the distinct perspective of its authors while assuring the maximum in-depth coverage of a vastly expanded base of scientific knowledge, will be a valuable and necessary addition to the libraries of psychiatrists and other physicians, psychologists, clinical social workers, neuroscientists, pharmacologists, and the patients and families who live with manic-depressive illness.

The revolution in psychiatry that began mid-century has led to dramatic advances in the understanding and treatment of manic-depressive illness. No other mental disorder has been the subject of such clinically useful and scientifically productive research. This book is the first to survey this massive body of evidence comprehensively and to assess its meaning for both clinician and scientist. It also vividly portrays the experience of manic-depressive illness from the perspective of patients, their doctors, and researchers, and recounts the torments of some of the great poets and composers whose art was almost certainly enriched, energized, and deepened by the extremes of manic-depressive illness. Drawing on the wisdom of classic psychiatric authors, the book encompasses knowledge about manic-depressive illness as Kraepelin originally defined it. Drs. Goodwin and Jamison's understanding of the illness, gained from their own extensive research and clinical experience, guided their interpretation of the literature. Like Kraepelin, they emphasize the cyclical course of manic-depressive illness and the essential unity of its biopolar and recurrent unipolar forms. Encyclopedic in scope, this volume exhaustively reviews the biological and genetic literature that has dominated the field in recent years. It also surveys the psychological and epidemiological evidence, as well as that pertaining to diagnostic issues, course, and outcome. The authors offer practical guidelines for differential diagnosis and clinical management. The medical treatment of manic and depressive episodes is described, strategies for preventing future episodes are given in detail, and psychotherapeutic issues common in this illness are considered. Special emphasis is given to fostering compliance with medication regimens and treating bipolar patients who abuse drugs and alcohol or who pose a risk of suicide. This book, the product of a decade of work, will be a valuable addition to the libraries of psychiatrists and other physicians, psychologists, clinical social workers, neuroscientists, pharmacologists, and the patients and families who live with manic-depressive illness.

A few brave souls in the public eye, such as Patty Duke, Kay Redfield Jamieson, and more recently, Margot Kidder, have come forward to reveal something about themselves that they had tried very hard to keep hidden -- the fact that they suffer from a mental illness called "manic depression". Also known as "bipolar disorder", this illness is only dimly understood by the population at large and, unfortunately, misconceptions abound. In this compelling autobiography, Bill Hannon offers an engrossing first-hand account of living with a serious mental illness and the disturbing delusions and paranoias which rendered him incapable of holding a job or accepting help from his friends and family. From his earliest manic episode during a high school trip abroad to his struggles with mis-diagnoses and the frightening side-effects of prescribed drugs, Hannon guides the reader into a world in which crossword puzzles are coded messages from the C.I.A. and a scrap of masking tape on a car windshield means that his conversations are being monitored. Never before has an author described his own manic episodes in such fascinating and insightful detail as Hannon does in Agents in My Brain. It is this feature that sets the book apart from all other accounts of manic depression. Agents in My Brain is essential reading for anyone who has encountered manic depression on either a first-or second-hand basis.

When Judith Herman's Trauma and Recovery was first published five years ago, it was hailed as a groundbreaking work. In the intervening years, Herman's now classic volume has changed the way we think about and treat traumatic events and trauma victims. In a new introduction, Herman chronicles the incredible response the book has elicited and explains how the issues surrounding the topic of trauma and recovery have shifted within the clinical community and the culture at large. Trauma and Recovery brings a new level of understanding to a set of problems usually considered individually. Herman draws on her own cutting-edge research on domestic violence, as well as on a vast literature of combat veterans and victims of political terror, to show the parallels between private terrors such as rape and public traumas such as terrorism. The book puts individual experience in a broader political frame, arguing that psychological trauma can be understood only in a social context. Meticulously documented and frequently using the victims own words as well as those from classic literary works and prison diaries, Trauma and Recovery is a powerful work that will continue to profoundly impact our thinking.

Many recognized geniuses had creative capacities that were driven by bouts of manic intensity followed by the depths of mind-numbing despair. From Plato, who originated the idea of inspired mania, to Beethoven, Dickens, Newton, Van Gogh, and today's popular creative artists and scientists who've battled manic depression, this intriguing work examines creativity and madness in mystery, myth, and history. Demonstrating how manic depression often becomes the essential difference between talent and genius, Hershman and Lieb offer valuable insights into the many obstacles and problems this illness poses for highly creative people. Lieb critiques the wave of new books on depression as well as those on creativity to determine how far we have come in our understanding of this complex illness. The authors also explode the myth that suffering is essential to creativity. Guides for the manic depressive are suggested to reduce emotional pain and personal problems while increasing productivity.

The march of science in explaining human nature continues. In Touched With Fire, Jamison marshals a tremendous amount of evidence for the proposition that most artistic geniuses were (and are) manic depressives. This is a book of interest to scientists, psychologists, and artists struggling with the age-old question of whether psychological suffering is an essential component of artistic creativity. Anyone reading this book closely will be forced to conclude that it is. Very Highly Recommended. -- Amazon.com

Consumer text provides parents with bipolar children sound advice and expert information necessary for coping with this challenging diagnosis. Shows how to provide essential care and support for the child and the family. Includes such topics as choosing the right mental health care professionals, medications, structure of daily life, and more.

Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with Bipolar Disorder tackles the most difficult decisions parents can face, including whether to involve police or consider hospitalization if their children are a danger to themselves and their families. At the same time, it emphasizes the positive qualities these children often have and illustrates how their gifts and abilities can build their self-esteem and help them function better in society. However severe the child's symptoms, George Lynn's book will provide guidance, support and inspiration for parents and carers as well as being a useful resource for professionals working with the families who suffer as a result of this disorder.

Depression, anxiety, and other internalizing disorders can have severe and lasting consequences for children and adolescents. This unique book provides the school-based practitioner with clear-cut strategies for addressing these problems creatively and effectively with students in grades K-12. A concise overview of the nature, development, and course of childhood depression and anxiety is delineated, and a comprehensive assessment model is outlined. Chapters then present a wide range of empirically supported interventions that are easy to implement and readily adaptable to diverse settings. Featured cognitive-behavioral and psychoeducational techniques are described in jargon-free language, and numerous reproducible worksheets are included to facilitate the practitioner's day-to-day work. Other topics covered include currently available psychiatric medications for depression and anxiety, and when and how a psychiatric referral should be made.

Bipolar disorder is difficult at any age, but it can be particularly daunting for teenagers and their families. David Miklowitz, author of the bestselling Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, provides invaluable information parents can use to help teens cope--and thrive. His adolescent bipolar treatment program has been tested and refined for a decade. Now for the first time, this book makes it available directly to parents. The Bipolar Teen helps parents distinguish between the typical ups and downs of teen life and the symptoms of mania or depression. With coauthor Elizabeth George, Dr. Miklowitz shows parents how to recognize the early warning signs of an episode so they can intervene before it's too late. They show how to strike a healthy balance of medications and psychotherapy, and offer practical tips for getting the most from doctors and from school programs. Crucially, they also demonstrate practical strategies for managing the chaos at home so every family member--including siblings without the illness--can find the stability and support they need. A dozen helpful reproducibles are included.

In this comprehensive guide, Dr. David J. Miklowitz offers straight talk that can help you tackle these and related questions, take charge of your illness, and reclaim your life. A leading researcher and clinical specialist who knows what works, Dr. Miklowitz supplies proven tools to help you achieve balance--and free yourself from the emotional and financial havoc that result when symptoms rule your life--without sacrificing your right to rich and varied emotional experiences. This essential resource will help you and your family members come to terms with the diagnosis, recognize early warning signs of manic or depressive episodes, cope with triggers of mood swings, resolve medication problems, and learn to collaborate effectively with doctors and therapists. You'll learn specific ways to ask for support and help from your family and friends--and what to do when their "caring" feels like "controlling." For times when the going gets tough, a wealth of examples of how others have dealt with similar challenges offer new perspectives and new solutions.

In this book for persons with bipolar disorder and their families, Dr. Frank Mondimore offers a comprehensive, practical, compassionate guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and causes of this potentially devastating psychiatric illness, formerly known as "manic-depression." He offers practical advice for getting the most out of the various treatments that are now available -- from medication, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive treatment to new approaches such as St. John's wort and transcranial magnetic stimulation. For each, he discusses advantages, disadvantages, side effects, and other information to help patients make informed decisions about treatment options. He also describes what it is like to live with bipolar disorder and discusses how lifestyle changes can improve quality of life. Throughout, he focuses on the importance of building a support system, of planning for emergencies, and of giving one's self permission to seek help. Bipolar disorder is a particularly difficult illness to diagnose and treat, Dr. Mondimore acknowledges, and it can be incredibly destructive to relationships and careers, can wreak havoc on family life and, when not properly treated, is a potentially fatal disease. In his wide-ranging discussion of this unpredictable disorder, Dr. Mondimore describes problems that are unique to women, whose disease may be affected by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and childbirth,. He includes new information on the forms the illness takes in children and adolescents, in whom it can sometimes be mistaken for more common problems such as "hyperactivity" or Attention Deficit Disorder. He explains what we know about the genetics of the disease, how symptoms fluctuate with the seasons in seasonal affective disorder, and how illness can be made more difficult to treat because of alcoholism or drug abuse. He discusses coping with the stigmatization of psychiatric diagnosis, gives advice on picking a psychiatrist and on dealing with medical insurance issues, and even explores the fascinating relationship between bipolar disorder and artistic creativity. Finally, Dr. Mondimore tells family members what they can do to help the person with bipolar disorder -- and themselves -- and he offers hope for the future as researchers learn more about the disease and how to control it.

Madness is the central mystery of the human psyche. Our minds evolved to give us a faithful understanding of reality, to allow us to integrate into our communities, and to help us adapt our behaviour to our environment. Yet in serious mental illness, the mind does exactly the opposite of these things. The sufferer builds castles of imaginative delusion, fails to adapt, and becomes a stranger among his own people. Yet mental illness is no marginal phenomenon: it is found in all societies and all historical epochs, and the genes that underlie it are quite common. Furthermore, the traits that identify the madman are found in attenuated form in normal thinking and feeling. The persistence of madness, then, is a terrible puzzle from both an evolutionary and a human point of view. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare suggested a link between madness and artistic creativity: 'The lunatic, the lover, and the poet', he wrote, 'Are of imagination all compact'. Recent studies have shown that there is indeed a connection. Rates of mental illness are hugely elevated in the families of poets, writers and artists, suggesting that the same genes, the same temperaments, and the same imaginative capacities are at work in insanity and in creative ability. Thus the reason madness continues to exist is that the traits behind it have psychological benefits as well as psychological costs. In Strong Imagination, Daniel Nettle explores the nature of mental illness, the biological mechanisms that underlie it, and its link to creative genius. He goes on to consider the place of both madness and creative imagination in the evolution of our species.

Parents of children with bipolar disorder shouldn't have to settle for a trial-and-error approach to their child's well-being�they deserve immediate access to solidly researched and effective therapies. In this compassionate and optimistic book, expert clinician and renowned researcher Mani Pavuluri helps guide parents to proven treatments that are right for their child. Based on 20 years of experience with bipolar kids and their families, the book delivers step-by-step strategies for reducing or eliminating problems with mania, depression, aggression, sleep disturbances, and other symptoms. Parents learn how to deal with crises, partner with teachers and other school professionals, and work with doctors to effectively integrate medications with psychotherapy. Crucially, What Works for Bipolar Kids also emphasizes practical ways to maintain a positive atmosphere at home and to help these kids stay balanced, focus on their achievements, and feel good about themselves.

This account of the connections between illness and creativity features case studies of great artists and their afflictions.

Life today for citizens of the developed world is safer, easier, and healthier than for any other people in history thanks to modern medicine, science, technology, and intelligence. So why is an epidemic of fear sweeping America? The answer, according to nationally renowned health commentator Dr. Marc Siegel, is that we live in an artificially created culture of fear. In False Alarm, Siegel identifies three major catalysts of the culture of fear -- government, the media, and big pharma. With fascinating, blow-by-blow analyses of the most sensational false alarms of the past few years, he shows how these fearmongers manipulate our most primitive instincts -- often without our even realizing it. False Alarm shows us how to look behind the hype and hysteria, inoculate ourselves against fear tactics, and develop the emotional and intellectual skills needed to take back our lives.

A work of great personal courage and a literary tour de force, this bestseller is Styron's true account of his descent into a crippling and almost suicidal depression. Styron is perhaps the first writer to convey the full terror of depression's psychic landscape, as well as the illuminating path to recovery.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is the term given to a condition characterized by recurring obsessive thoughts or actions. These thoughts or actions are involuntary and are often a response to a deep-rooted fear. This introductory book, richly illustrated with case examples, explains the nature and treatment of OCD in children and adolescents. OCD has been little discussed in relation to this age group, although it is now believed that approximately 1 per cent of all children and adolescents suffers from serious obsessive disorders. Written for parents and relatives as well as doctors, teachers and other professionals working with this group of patients, From Thoughts to Obsessions defines OCD and forms a straightforward explanation of the symptoms, assessment procedures and treatment strategies. Per Hove Thomsen also examines obsessive features which may form part of normal adolescent development as well as the relationship of OCD to other psychiatric conditions.

Surviving Manic Depression is the most authoritative book on this disorder, which affects more than two million people in the U.S. alone. Based on the latest research, it provides detailed coverage of every aspect of manic depression--from understanding its causes and treatments to choosing doctors and managing relapses--with guidance drawn from the latest scientific information. Drs. Torrey and Knable provide thorough, up-to-date coverage of all aspects of the disease, including a detailed description of symptoms (with many direct descriptions from patients themselves), risk factors, onset and cause, medications (including drugs still in the testing stage), psychotherapy, and rehabilitation, as well as information about how the disease affects children and adolescents. Here too are discussions of special problems related to manic depression, including alcohol and drug abuse, violent behavior, medication noncompliance, suicide, sex, AIDS, and confidentiality. Surviving Manic Depression also includes special features such as a listing of selected websites, books, videotapes, and other resources.

Covers the range of topics parents need to know in order to help their children, such as: diagnosis and common misdiagnoses, family life, support, safety and how to recognize and prevent mood swings, medications, therapeutic interventions, insurance issues, and education, including how to work with school systems.

This book describes the range of bipolar disorders, considers their impact on family life, and offers advice on treatment, support, insurance, and employment. It also explains diagnoses, describes diagnostic tests, and provides details on therapy, medication, and other interventions. Extensive resources are listed, including advocacy and support groups. Waltz is affiliated with the University of Sunderland's Autism Research Unit. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

More than 25 million Americans are treated with antidepressants each year, at a cost in excess of $50 billion. But the side effects of popular prescription drugs may seem nearly as depressing as the symptoms they're meant to treat. Veteran yoga instructor Amy Weintraub offers a better solution -- one that taps the scientifically proven link between yoga and emotional well-being as well as the beauty of ancient approaches to inner peace. Addressing a range of diagnoses, including dysthymia, anxiety-based depression, and bipolar disorder, Yoga for Depression reveals why specific postures, breathing practices, and meditation techniques can ease suffering and release life's traumas and losses. Weintraub also reflects on her own experience with severe depression, from which she recovered through immersing herself in a daily yoga routine. Yoga for Depression is the first yoga book devoted exclusively to the treatment of these debilitating conditions. Amy Weintraub will help readers see their suffering and themselves in a vibrant new light.

Deciding whether to give a child medication for an emotional or behavioral problem is a difficult choice. Parents wonder: Will it really help? How long will it be needed? Are there alternatives? What about side effects? Do news stories about FDA black box warnings trump the doctor's assurances that medications are safe and effective? From noted Harvard psychiatrist Timothy E. Wilens, this bestselling guide has already empowered many tens of thousands of parents to become active, informed managers of their children's care. The newly updated third edition details the latest advances in treating specific disorders and offers answers to parents' frequently asked questions. Dr. Wilens covers how medications work; their impact on kids' emotions, personality, school performance, and health; the risks and benefits of widely used antidepressants; and much more. The book features new recommendations on treatments for bipolar disorder and ADHD--two illnesses where significant progress has recently been made.

The Jumbled Jigsaw exposes autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) not as single entities but as a combination of a whole range of often untreated, sometimes easily treatable, underlying conditions. Exploring everything from mood, anxiety, obsessive�compulsive and tic disorders to information processing and sensory perceptual difficulties, including dependency issues, identity problems and much more, Donna demonstrates how a number of such conditions can combine to form a 'cluster condition' and underpin the label 'autism spectrum disorder'. Donna Williams encourages and empowers families to look at what they can do to change their child's environment to address anxiety, overload and other issues. She also gives carers the necessary information to navigate the booming autism marketplace and demand the right tools for the job. The author also challenges professionals to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to identifying and treating the cluster conditions that make up an autism spectrum diagnosis, and to improve service delivery to those in need. The Jumbled Jigsaw is a call to modern society to take responsibility and accept diversity. It is written in a very human and user-friendly way for parents and for Auties and Aspies themselves, but it is also aimed at carers, professionals, policy-makers and service providers.