When someone you love is bipolar Help and support for you and your partner

Inspired by her own experiences with bipolar disorder, clinical psychologist Last (Help for Worried Kids) takes on the disorder in all its manifestations, counseling readers about its impact on relationships. As she points out, the impact of the disorder depends not only on its severity, the quality of the treatment, and the patient's compliance but also on the partner's willingness to monitor the disorder and periodically accept it as a "third party" in the relationship. She also considers the constraints placed on social life and, conversely, how the patient's high energy and creativity can compensate for the instability and mood problems. Part reference and part self-help guide, the book includes checklists, charts, scales, and strategies, with an emphasis on the medical aspects of this condition and its treatment. The strongest chapter features detailed information about psychotropic medication, helping partners understand what the medications do and what the side effects are. A list of recommended books, organizations, and Internet sites is included. Verdict Fact filled and loaded with advice, this book can be somewhat dense and repetitive, making it most appropriate for more sophisticated readers.-Fran Mentch, Cleveland State Univ. Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.