Family Experiences of Bipolar Disorder

The Ups, The Downs and the Bits In Between

Cara Aiken

• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Year: 2010
• ISBN:
  9780857003874
• Topic: Psychologie
• Subtopic: Abnormale Psychologie

Bipolar disorder can be a devastating illness, seriously affecting not only the person with bipolar but also their children, partner, parents, family and friends. While most people are familiar with the terms 'manic depressive' and 'bipolar disorder', there remains a lack of real understanding about the illness and many sufferers and their families can feel helpless, alone and misunderstood.

Family Experiences of Bipolar Disorder is a personal and honest account of bipolar disorder. The author Cara Aiken has lived with bipolar for 10 years, and in this book she gathers together her experiences and those of a host of contributors to portray the reality of the illness and its impact on family life. Their children give open and frank accounts of their lives with a bipolar parent, and partners and close family members explain how it has affected them. The book also features important facts and figures related to bipolar which are contributed by leading experts.

This moving and insightful book will provide an invaluable source of guidance, advice and support to people with bipolar disorder and their families, as well as an insight for professionals into the reality of life with the illness.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword
• Preface
• Chapter 1 Introducing Bipolar Disorder
• Chapter 2 Living with Bipolar Disorder
• Chapter 3 Parenting with Bipolar Disorder
• Chapter 4 Growing Up with a Bipolar Parent: The Children’s Story
• Chapter 5 Adult Relationships and Bipolar Disorder
• Chapter 6 Bipolar Disorder and Society
• Chapter 7 Conclusion
• Further Reading
• Useful Organizations
• Appendix: List of Stories