When you travel to a new city, it helps to have a map close at hand. On the first day of school, you need to have your schedule of classes. And if you've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or suspect you may have it, then it's even more important to have a guidebook within reach. Facing Bipolar will help you navigate the world of medications, therapists, and the up-and-down mood cycles common to the disorder. It clearly explains what bipolar disorder is and provides sound guidance for developing the necessary coping skills to manage its impact on your life. In this book you'll discover: How therapy and medications can help When and how to tell your friends, roommates, and teachers The four key factors that will bring more stability to your life How to develop a support network and access college resources Ways to overcome the challenges in accepting this illness

When you travel to a new city, it helps to have a map close at hand. On the first day of school, you need to have your schedule of classes. And if you've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or suspect you may have it, then it's even more important to have a guidebook within reach. Facing Bipolar will help you navigate the world of medications, therapists, and the up-and-down mood cycles common to the disorder. It clearly explains what bipolar disorder is and provides sound guidance for developing the necessary coping skills to manage its impact on your life. In this book you'll discover: •How therapy and medications can help •When and how to tell your friends, roommates, and teachers •The four key factors that will bring more stability to your life•How to develop a support network and access college resources •Ways to overcome the challenges in accepting this illness

“Smith has come through big time with a book about bipolar disorder targeted to teens or 20-somethings experiencing mental illness for the first time.” —The Washington Post Many bipolar books are too clinical, too alarmist, and too clearly written for family members and caretakers of people diagnosed with this mood disorder. Welcome to the Jungle is different. Author Hilary Smith wrote this guide because it is the book she wishes she’d been given when she was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It answers questions, points to resources, and most of all, comes from someone who understands what it’s like to be thrown off course by an overwhelming mental health issue—and what to do afterwards. Just like for everyone else, there are many, many paths that bipolar people can take in life. Learn more about how to live your own life with a mental illness using the help of the insights in Welcome to the Jungle, which covers topics such as: Wrapping your head around triggers, causes of mood swings, medications, and therapists Recovering from mental breakdowns, manic moments, and major depressive episodes Living your life beyond the diagnosis—and helping your family to do the same This book is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any illness or act as a substitute for advice from a doctor or psychiatrist. “This book is flatout fantastic. Funny, smart, and unflinchingly astute, Welcome to the Jungle is exactly the guide you want on your journey from chaos to stability as you learn to manage bipolar disorder.” —Marya Hornbacher, author of Madness: A Bipolar Life

Provides strategies for teenagers to manage their bipolar disorder, describing such tasks as identifying emotions, accepting difficult situations, practicing mindfulness, letting go of negative self-judgments, and creating a crisis plan.

"I wrote Welcome to the Jungle This revised edition comes with a new foreword by the author, a revised and expanded discussion on diagnosis, an updated chapter on medication, a new chapter on alternative approaches, a revised and expanded chapter on symptoms, and updated resources. New research on the causes and risk factors for bipolar disorder are also included along with tools for observing patterns and making gentle changes to daily routines that can have a profound effect. Going bravely where no other bipolar book has gone before Welcome to the Jungle offers devastatingly on-target, honest--and riotously funny--insights into living with bipolar and answers some of the hardest questions facing people newly diagnosed.

If you buy just one book on bipolar disorder, let this be it. There’s an old saying: “Prevention is better than cure.” If you have bipolar disorder, this is especially true. For you, it's incredibly important to read the warning signs of a possible episode. For instance, you may find you are not sleeping as well as usual, or you might be sleeping too much. You may stop doing things that you normally enjoy, or you may start acting out your impulses in ways that alienate those around you or get you into trouble. While the path to wellness for those with bipolar may involve psychiatric visits and medication adjustments, preventing manic and depressive episodes is the true key to staying healthy and happy. So how do you do it? And most importantly, how can you keep yourself motivated? In this powerful, breakthrough book, bipolar expert Ruth C. White shares her own personal approach to relapse prevention using the innovative program SNAP (Sleep, Nutrition, Activity, and People). White also offers practical tips and tracking tools you can use anytime, anywhere. By making necessary lifestyle adjustments, you can maintain balanced moods, recognize the warning signs of an oncoming episode, and make the necessary changes to reduce or prevent it. This is the first and only book on bipolar disorder that focuses exclusively on prevention. To help you stay well, White includes links to helpful online tracking tools so that you can manage your symptoms, anytime, anywhere. If you are ready to stop living in fear of your next episode, this life-changing book can help you take charge of your diagnosis—and your life.