Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive

by Molly McHugh

Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive is a memoir of living with Manic Depression plus 10 alternative treatments that will help you or a loved one not only survive this serious and devastating illness but thrive. Things you can do beyond the psychotropic drugs a psychiatrist will prescribe or in addition to taking these medications which will help them be more effective and less debilitating. You will learn how to potentially lessen the severity of its highs and lows.

Genres: Self Help

214 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2015

Reviews

[James McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone’s heard of bipolar disorder/ manic depression but what’s it actually like to be a sufferer? Whilst we might sympathise with those in its terrible grip, it’s another matter to be actually able to empathise with such a condition. One of the successes of this book is that the author helps us to do just this as she takes us on her first person account of the last thirty years of her life after being hit by this bio-chemical “freight train.”

I knew sufferers experienced regular cycles of deep depression followed by euphoric highs, but I never guessed how much more complicated the condition was. The Mania is “unstable, turbulent energy and out of control behaviour” ending in crash and burn, whilst during the depression stage one simply can’t control suicidal thoughts (one account has her holding a razor to her neck for more than an hour, trying to summon up the courage to end everything) which get increasingly stronger. This stage is something that can last for months on end with no clear indication of when, if ever, it might lift. Never once though does she look for pity, rather seeking to open our eyes and help us understand.

There are plenty of insights and practical help for those who might have friends with the condition (a bipolar condition takes a long time to correctly identify) or might be sufferers themselves. One of the most helpful chapters concerns causes, looking at both environment factors and chemical triggers such as perfume, B12 deficiency and conditions such as anaemia which can bring on more episodes. It also considers a range of ways to treat and deal with the condition and how important self -help is in all this. While fully acknowledging the importance of drugs the author also points out that treatments can sometimes make things worse, psychotropic drugs can induce violent, criminal behaviour. The problem is the big, profit driven drug companies involved who often dictate treatment. No surprise to learn that Big Pharma is pushing drugs and reaping huge profits from the vulnerable and desperate once again.

A fascinating read throughout and a real eye opener.

[E.M. Swift-Hook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lived experience of being bipolar.

'You do not win bipolar cellular control freaks but can we call a truce?'

This book is a very personal account of one woman's experiences with bipolar disorder. But it is also a book that brings in a lot of the information she has come across which she feels will be of value to fellow sufferers and those who are carers, friends and family of someone with the condition. Anyone reading it who has no idea of what it is like to live with a mental health issue, will put it down at the end very much wiser - and hopefully more compassionate and less prejudiced. Those of us who have friends or family with the same or similar mental health issues, will recognise a lot in the story.

It is an insider's description of the experience of being bipolar, but there will be many people who have other mental health issues who will relate to a lot of the book - especially to the parts that consider and reflect on the impact of the prejudice and discrimination faced by those with such issues.

The author provides a lot of information on how her own condition has been treated and managed, both clinically and by other means. She looks at what worked for her and what did not, offers possible alternative ways of managing to those who also have to live with this disorder.

'You are not the illness. Your illness is simply a part of your life that you have to deal with as best as possible.'

The book is pretty well written. The language used is accessible and fluent and the author's 'voice' is chatty and friendly, not prescriptive or condescending. There are chapters offering some structure to the binding narrative of the author's own experiences. I really liked the way links to external references are provided at appropriate moments to illustrate what is being considered, or to allow the reader further research into the issues raised. There is also a lot of encouragement and reassurance, not at all saccharine, but realistic and often quite profound. One chapter in particular ' Learning to Separate Yourself From Illness' I found very inspiring and powerful.

'I think there should be a specific literary genre for 'Mental Illness Memoirs'.'

It is important to bear in mind that this is, indeed, a personal account and the remedies offered are those that worked for the individual, indeed the author herself acknowledges this. Knowing people who have suffered from other mental illness, I am very aware that what works for one person may not for another and can even be counter-productive. For some the book may not, therefore, live up to its title in full and an individual would need to be careful before adopting any of the suggestions given. On a more technical level, I found the book also suffers from some organisational issues, seeming to me to skip quite a bit between themes and ideas at times, following more the narrative of experience than seeking to group things.

I can recommend this book to anyone who wants, or needs, to know how things look, feel and are lived from a bipolar perspective. It offers both insight to those who are not affected and hope, practical advice and encouragement to those who are.

[Please Pass the Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I ever thought I knew about Bipolar disorder...well, to keep from embarrassing myself, let's just say I knew nothing and leave it at that. This memoir starts with Molly McHugh as a San Francisco college student, delving immediately into the subject matter and her first traumatic experience with an episode. It is both terrifying and heartbreaking to read about, with McHugh's raw narrative drawing you in immediately—and deeply.

Throughout, the records of McHugh's experiences are straightforward and honest. There is no PC brush or glossing over of her experiences, even with liberal injections of humor [such as giving her doctors nicknames like Sexy 1 and Sexy 2]. To me personally, some of the most horrifying accounts were the abuses described against the mentally ill—the most vulnerable of people. The most eye-opening were her experiences with a round-robin of antipsychotic, neuroleptic, antidepressive, and a whole host of other drugs and treatments. Lithium, the Bipolar psychotropic of choice, was dispensed liberally and came with side effects that were both damaging and unexpected ["Did you get a perm?"]. I would imagine for anyone starting on this journey and being dished out pharmaceuticals, McHugh's no-holds-barred narrative is a good of a first-hand account as one will get.

While Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive goes into great detail regarding McHugh personal struggles, the book offers a great deal of background and information on alternatives that she found success with. How acceptance and small but meaningful modifications made impactful, positive changes in her life. This isn't just the story of her initial struggles with bipolar one, it's a memoir of her life; how she was able to live and function over the decades, despite having every imaginable obstacle thrown on her path. And not just how to live—but how to flourish. And so, ultimately, what McHugh offers readers of her book is hope. Having read her story, it would seem that hope, particularly when faced with bipolar one, might just be the greatest gift of all.

[J.P. Willson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly I am not sure where to begin. There are so many things I can say about this book. Uplifting, enlightening, inspirational, thought-provoking, frightening at times, painful too, heartfelt and an emotional ride all wrapped up in one neat little package.
I am not an uneducated man, I thought I had a fair amount of knowledge on this subject, perhaps not. I did, yet my perceptions were somewhat screwy, as I now believe is the case for most. I have learned so much from this book and I am of course, still processing this information and shall be for some time to come.
It is amazing to me the amount of knowledge that is crammed into this one little book. Having said that I will be referencing this knowledge in respect to some of my own personal issues as the resources provided here are huge. It is not simply a book about bipolar 1 disorder, it touches on a vast array of subjects that both can and are a part of living with this condition.
Within these pages the author gives a very candid depiction of living with bipolar 1 disorder, in every respect of the word. She does not make this a depressing or the atypical, "O'poor me" type of scenario. This is about how to improve oneself and ones way of coping and dealing with life regardless. Throw me a curve ball, I'm gonna catch it! The idea that you are the one in control, whether that is the case at the time or not, is the premise. How can I live my life with as little degree of the presence of this condition as possible. I will not let this beat me into submission.
The positivity presented in the face of adversity is monumental.
Not only will I use the information brought to light here, for myself personally, yet it is also very relate-able to the work I do within an addictions treatment facility.
A courageous and poignant look at a very difficult, misunderstood subject. Highly recommended.

[Kaye Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you, a friend, or family member suspect that you may have a bipolar disorder, read this informative guide. The author has dealt with bipolar disorder for over two decades. Ms. McHugh describes its onset, symptoms, and how it feels to be in a hyper-manic or sluggish depressive state.The author also shares her experiences with doctors and psychiatric hospitals.

My favorite chapters were at the end of the book when McHugh explains what worked for her. She mentions low dose thyroid medicine, salmon oil, and detoxing her house and diet. Rather than throwing a pity party for herself, McHugh clearly explains her situation and how it improved. The reader comes away from this book with a greater understanding of bipolar disorder and how to manage it.

[Robert Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story grabs you from the first line. This is the story of Molly McHugh's battle with Bipolar I Disorder and her writing gives a true account and insight to how life can dissolve right in front of you. The authors writing reflects the manic episodes she endures, she has a gift of jumping her writing, rushing it, and leaving the reader in a state of confusion too. At first I found this disorientating, I wasn't sure if I liked the style, but after a page or two of catching up with her it felt like it flowed perfectly with the story she was telling.
I struggle with mental illness myself, not to the same extent as McHugh, but enough to fully appreciate what she was writing. I found that her account not only helped me understand (and feel comforted in not being alone) my own brain, but helped me understand the thought process of those around me who are struggling in their own ways and at their own degrees.
I found the writing to predominantly be in the style of the author telling us about her life as a kind of memoir. In this, the reader may not find the hard and fast facts of Bipolar 1 Disorder as they would in a text book. However, anyone interested in truly knowing the disease will find the book as a very important resource because it gives the experiences of the one suffering in a very clear and intellectual way.
A final note to the author, Molly I think your "funny title" - 'Diary Of A Psych Patient" is actually very fitting (and I had a chuckle myself). All in all, the book is a very entertaining read, sometimes confronting, always educational.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive by Molly McHugh is both a brave memoir and a guide to how to deal with mental illness issues.

McHugh is very open to her personal struggles, and this makes for an honest read. I appreciate all that she shared, and it's a very compelling memoir. At the same time, it's not exactly a biography that includes every facet of her life (for example, family details are often only skimmed over). Rather, those personal elements are only shared if they are part of the narrative concerning Bipolar I Disorder. It was interesting to read about San Francisco and her college years, tragic as they were, in this kind of memoir.

The information about the disorder is extensive. Both through personal experience, but also through research cited throughout the book. This would come recommended if anyone needs to offer good advice to anyone suffering from it. In some cases, McHugh is a thoughtful critic of what doesn't work in medication and goes through the best methods she has learned through the years.

It is a positive book in the end, with enormous challenges overcome. McHugh shows that she can indeed not only survive but also thrive. After reading, one cannot help but feel for her.

[Brin Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a personal memoir of the author’s own life experience, following a diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder at the age of nineteen. It employs a highly readable mix of personal anecdote, positive thoughts and wide-ranging advice, from treatment therapies the author found to have worked, others that didn’t, and reflections on current trends in mental health treatment. All are enlivened by a dry sense of humour liberally employed throughout, and at no time does Molly claim that her words are the answer. Quite the opposite, in fact. She is very clear that even now it is an ongoing battle to manage this most debilitating of diseases, and that what has worked for her might not work for others. Yoga is a case in point: brilliant for some people, but she found it boring.
Eliminating stress and toxins, treating an under-active thyroid and taking a highly pro-active approach to positive health management, amongst other things, have all worked for Molly, but no one strategy is a cure-all and even all together they at best manage the illness. They don’t cure it.
I found it very interesting that some of her most effective doctors took a more holistic view of mental healthcare, based on the understanding that mental health issues are often associated with other maybe low-level health problems. Molly’s under-active thyroid is a case in point, and under-active thyroids can result in tiredness and lethargy, which was one of her depressive stage symptoms. Not that the other health problems cause the mental illness, but they might tip someone with that propensity over the edge into full blown symptoms.
A positive mind set, and remembering to believe in yourself, and that you will eventually come out of this mood and be yourself again, is essential but difficult. One way Molly deals with this is to dissociate herself from the illness: this person she becomes, isn’t the real her. She tells herself she will become the person she really is again, when the illness has receded. Almost splitting herself consciously into two people, the real her and the person she becomes when sick.
The links to research and articles to validate and explore particular issues further are very useful, too.
The prejudice Molly endured in the 80s is one of the hardest things to read, and basically the prejudice with which even now people with mental health problems are viewed. It is easy for people with a mental illness to become lonely, isolated, on the periphery of society, friendless, and low-functioning in the workplace. So poor.
But her spirit when she looks to the positive side of her difficult life, and recounts the things that are good, is uplifting. This is an important, very positive book, coming from a perspective outside the medical labels and inside the reality. As well as supporting Bipolar I people in a highly positive way, it should also spread greater understanding and empathy amongst people who have no experience of mental health issues, and hopefully help eliminate prejudice and fear.

[Lillian White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the frank and honest story of one woman’s experience of Bipolar I Disorder, beginning with the terrifying and confusing ordeal of its onset in her late teens and going on to chronicle how the condition has touched her life ever since. As well as being a valuable resource offering hope, information and support to other potential sufferers, it is also a story –albeit it a true one – which is at times gripping, at other times incomprehensible yet fascinating to those of us fortunate enough not to have suffered this illness. I commend the author for finding the strength not only to share her experiences, fears, frustrations, disappointments and hopes for the future, but for doing so in an open, honest, warts-and-all way. I cannot even begin to imagine how it must feel to have to go through life battling such an illness and having read this, I consider myself doubly fortunate in that regard. I would recommend this book not only to other people whose experiences are similar to that of the author, but to anyone who has ever wondered about the reality of living with such conditions. I recommend it still further to anyone who has been tempted to dismiss them as ‘not as bad as all that’ or thought about saying to someone (or worse, actually said) ‘pull yourself together;’ or words to that effect. This book is not only informative, it is educational. If you really want to know more about Bipolar Disorder or associated conditions, I recommend you read this book.

[Om Chand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manic depression has always been one of the most difficult condition for the person who goes through it and the people around--relatives and friends. Having been through this during her early adult years, the author Molly McHugh has put together an amazing book that not only helps us all understand what it's like to be the one who undergoes the devastating experience, but also provides insights into what could be done, in addition to the regular therapy, to reduce the impact of the condition.

The author has definitely done a lot of research in bringing this book together that, I think, should be read by anyone who has interaction with some undergoing the condition to be able to fully understand what the person is going through. Because this book educates us that the bizarre behavior from the person suffering is not to be judged overall against the person who is basically helpless--so the person around can be prudent to make the whole situation better. This book is very unique in that way.

[Walter Danley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Help from a Bipolar Disorder Survivor

Frightening periods of knowing you are out of control, but believing you are doing terrific! Sounds like a recreational drug-induced high, but that is what people with this affliction experience without warning. Author Molly McHugh tells it like it is, and some of it isn’t easy to read. The stories McHugh tells happened to her before she was able to control the onset of the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder I with medications. She describes in detail how her brain explodes into either a debilitating depression or a condition of euphoria. In either instance, the condition is OUT OF YOUR CONTROL. That is only one of the scary parts of this story.

Another is the two terribly tragic suicides as a result of Bipolar Disorder. It was a shock to read of the recent deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, who both had Bipolar Disorder, and as a result, committed suicide in a fit of depression.

McHugh wants this work to become a resource to those who, like her, have Bipolar Disorder. She provides resources that can help others. Some of her narrative was very funny and some of it was heart-wrenching, but all of the book is interesting and informative. We applaud Molly for finding and maintaining treatment but the fact that she elected to plan, write, editing and publishing her book deserves a standing ovation. And I do applaud her.

Some more critical editing would help the reader of this fascinating saga. For example, the book is predominantly written in a chatty, more conversational style, much like a diary entry or notes to herself. The reader sometimes is left out of the conversation. It is my opinion that the manuscript would benefit with more dialog in place of so much narrative. That narrative is often choppy with incomplete sentences which distract from a smooth read. McHugh jumps from scene to scene without a lead-in. It occurred to me that this must be what it is like to experience the manic high offered by BP I. If this was the author’s intent, then an alert to her audience would make the technique much more effective.

Finally, as someone interested in learning more of this disease and who agreed to post an honest review of Molly McHugh’s book in exchange for receiving a copy of the book, I’d like to end this review with two observations.

The story about Molly leaving USF sounded a bit like a rationalization for not finishing the degree program to me. I doubt her theory of three Ph.D.’s ganging up to force her to leave. Intentional harassment of a person with a mental health condition doesn’t sound like a popular sporting event. The author provides no credible rationale for such action. Besides, a Ph.D. has way more things to occupy their waking hours than to harass a student.

I want to acknowledge the sheer guts that it must have taken for Molly McHugh to put her to tell her most personal story by putting it on (digital) paper for the world to read. Overall, the thing that sticks with a reader is that Molly is a hero(in) and fighter in the heavyweight class of the human spirit.
Thank you, Molly, for making this an inspirational read that I am happy to recommend to all readers of the human condition.

[Heather Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halfway through her book, Molly McHugh fills us in on its purpose:
“This book is meant to serve as a resource … to anyone who has been diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder or who has a loved one with the illness. Or anyone who is studying psychology or psychiatry and wants to know what it is really like.”

Bipolar 1 Disorder (BPD1) is the more technical term for severe manic depression, a psycho-physiological condition that causes sufferers to experience extreme states of euphoria and hyperactivity followed by deep depression and lethargy. I knew a little about the illness before I started reading, but I know a lot more now, especially about how it feels to be soaring through a manic phase, unaware of the inevitable crash at the end. Molly McHugh writes as if she were talking to the reader; in fact, the book reads almost as if she dictated it. She can be darkly funny, too, e.g. when she describes the inhospitable conditions that prevail in mental hospitals.

What McHugh doesn’t describe in nearly as much detail are the periods of deep depression that are the other side of the bipolar coin. The whole first half of this memoir is devoted to the manic episodes that Molly experienced as a college student and young working woman. She clearly shows how disastrous they were for her nursing studies and for subsequent attempts to pick herself up and start her life anew. The spotlight remains fixed on her and not on her surroundings: roommates, doctors and supervisors come and go, but they are only mentioned in passing and anonymized and caricatured with names like Dr. Sexy and “The Drone”. This gives the narrative a somewhat disorganized and unreal feeling. It’s possible that McHugh wanted to focus exclusively on herself and her disorder, or that she was worried about revealing identities, but I was irritated by the cardboard characters and the lack of timeline. I would also have liked to know more about the author as a person and how she coped with raising a child while living with BPD1.

The second part of the book consists of information and advice for sufferers. Here, McHugh discusses possible triggers, provides links to research websites and shares tips and insights on how to prevent relapses. Once again, the tone is conversational and often humorous:
“If you talk with your doctor about mold, allergies or noxious chemicals possibly contributing to your mood states and they poo poo the idea, giving you that ‘you may actually be insane, not just bipolar’ look – glance back at them sternly. …” I loved that “poo poo”.

To sum up, the book mostly achieves its stated purpose of being a resource for sufferers and their families (4 stars), but gives outsiders a somewhat one-sided and disorganized picture of what it’s like to have bipolar disease (3 stars).

[G.J. Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very beginning the author admits to writing a memoir of her personal experiences living with the illness Bipolar 1 Disorder. At times it came across to me as a combination of a brief autobiography and a self-help journal, even though it was a difficult read. Molly McHugh keeps nothing back when describing her manic phases and the unsympathetic treatment she was often subjected to when a younger adult. Despite this the reader is often fed many light hearted, amusing moments through her incredible sense of humour. When I was constantly reminded that the book was dealing with a form of mental illness, together with several tragic incidents that left my jaw dropped in disbelief, I was just amazed to find the author’s constant positive attitude to life. It was something to be admired and applauded.

Moving from the personal to the more informative list of treatments, drugs, technical articles and books etc was a good thing later in the book. McHugh could have been accused of trivialising what is after all a very serious illness in the first few chapters as she tended to give many of the psychiatrists, nurses and so on caricature nick-names, like Dr Sexy and the Drone. However, her feelings and seriously considered opinions were also dealt with throughout the book and provided a more than adequate counterbalance to her occasional levity. It is not the sort of book that one can claim to enjoy since, notwithstanding the smiles, it is not a source of entertainment. But it is a very well written account and would be very helpful to sufferers (is that the correct term?) and their family and friends: helpful as a practical source of resources, as well as an important sharing of emotions and possible misgivings about Bipolar disorders.

If I have any negative criticisms they are that there are many references offered as internet online links and I found they were a bit “shaky” in that I often had to click on them several times to find the page site. Some of the links did not work at all even after many clicks. A minor inconvenience which could be a glitch with my PC I suppose. Plus there were occasional strange phrases used in sentences that I found hard to understand, such as: “Still single yet having connecting on many levels with other decent, fun-loving folks throughout my life including a romantic relationship or two, is enough.” What does that mean? Would some commas have helped? It could just be down to a difference in US and UK English language semantics. I’m still not sure, but even so, I highly recommend this book for the reasons given above; and because it is highly illuminating to someone, like myself, who has not knowingly had contact with a person with Bipolar Disorder 1 or 2 but probably has fears and prejudices about it.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive by Molly McHugh gives a deep look into the feelings and experiences that a person with Bipolar endures. The author, a sensitive and articulate writer, guides the reader through her personal journey, as she slides into the unfamiliar world of mental illness. Reading this book is like getting into a canoe and shooting waterfalls. The wild ride is due to McHugh’s ability to transmit feelings through her writing. Readers will learn what it is like to move into a world with no limits, no parallels, to move between total highs and total lows. This gifted writer has written a book that should be required reading for students of psychology, psychiatry, and social work. She has done what few others have accomplished; she has revealed the world of mental illness in vastly personal terms.

Yet, this book moves beyond the typical complaint of someone who has suffered illness. McHugh raises important questions: what really causes Bipolar Disorder, what role does exposure to toxins play, and how does the misuse of drugs, prescribed or otherwise, affect the onset, or worsening continuation of Bipolar Disorder? McHugh, who has controlled her symptoms for over twenty years, shares healthy steps she has taken to live a happier life. And she has, indeed, lived a full and interesting life. This author has been a travel-writer, business woman, teacher, and college graduate, as well as having lived all over the world. My only disappointment in reading this book, is that I did not get to share more of her adventures, as I learned about mental illness.

This author cannot help but create change with this book. She does a brilliant job of showing the political and societal bias of mental illness. In her own words, she writes brilliantly: “When you have a mental illness or have had an episode of mental incompetence such as a brief hospitalization and are a self-determined, independent person it can seem impossible to fit into society at all. The role that is imposed on you from that moment on is that of patient and subhuman. You are supposed to subjugate yourself to others. To those deemed more worthy and of value as members of society i.e. anyone who has not been labeled mentally ill. This includes of course the gatekeepers—psychiatrists and psychologists—as well as any other person in the world, with the possible exception of criminals and drug abusers. You’ve been placed into a societal niche whether you like it or not and had better stay there and behave or else.”

[Erin Bomboy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many, I was shocked by the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain just days apart. It threw into relief how little I know about mental illness and the ways that we, as a society, continue to ignore and downplay its severity and ubiquity. I've had several friends — even a roommate — who were bipolar, yet I know next to nothing about the condition.

Molly McHugh's Bipolar 1 Disorder: How to Survive and Thrive uses her personal experience to unpack what it means to live with bipolar disorder. Written in a chatty, friendly way, the book is strongest when it cogently and lucidly breaks down her mental illness. McHugh discusses episodes of mania and depression; she also unpacks various triggers and treatments. For those seeking more information, she provides links although some of them (worldtruth.tv, for instance) seem less than kosher.

The book opens and closes with McHugh's memoir, some of which deals with bipolar disorder and some of which details her youthful sexcapades, her foray into and eventual rejection of lesbianism, and, at the end, a list of "nurture" events that affected her, including the death of her pet gerbil when she was sixteen and an eighth grade teacher who told her that she was acting like “acting like a chicken with its head cut off.” I found these portions to be disjointed and occasionally rambling. For instance, McHugh has a beloved son, yet the timeline of when she had him during her diagnosis and management of her bipolar disorder was unclear until the very end.

I also felt important sections of McHugh's life were glossed over. I would very much like to have heard more about what parenting with bipolar disorder is like, and I'm curious as to how Mexico, the country to which McHugh moved, perceives mental illness. She mentions events like spending Christmas in a homeless shelter, yet never elaborates on them, leaving me wondering why bring it up in the first place. It's possible I misunderstood since McHugh flips between first-person and second-person narration, and I wasn't always sure when she was speaking about her specific experiences or making a generalization.

For those who like their books presented tidily, his book doesn't appear to be edited with attention to any style book, so nonstandard uses of punctuation abound, such as comma splices, periods hanging outside of quotation marks, and odd usages of semicolons and ellipses.

That being said, the breezy style makes this a good introduction to bipolar disorder.

[J.B. Trepagnier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should give a forward in this review that I'm also bipolar, but generally avoid reading books on mental health unless they are written by a license medical professional and the only alternative medical treatment articles I read are those that have been peer reviewed before publishing.

When I was diagnosed, I was several years older than the author and it was about a decade later. I was initially misdiagnosed, knew I was misdiagnosed, but my doctor at the time refused to listen to me. After that, I made it a point to research to research this disease, medication used to treat it, and have my own voice in treatment. If I didn't like a medication, I said something. If I thought a doctor was overstepping, I said something. I've had doctors that liked this and I've had doctors refuse to see me again. I didn't care. The only thing I worry with now is seeing my psychiatrist for refills, going to talk to my therapist, and my bipolar hasn't reared it's ugly head again unless my sleep disorder decides to act up.

I think this is where the author and I differ and some of the problems that I had with the book. The author wrote that she just took whatever was prescribed and had several bad experiences that led to her journey being different from mine. Some of the science in the memoir that the author used attempting to treat herself, I do not personally believe in, having spent several years in school thinking I wanted to study science before switching my major to something that made me happy. I don't believe in the concept of toxins and know that formaldehyde exists naturally in several fruits and vegetables and has seemed to have gotten a bad rep on health blogs.

I see my relatives with bipolar try to go through life without the aid of psychiatrists and therapist and would never try to do this myself. If it's working for the author, then I'm glad for her, but I would never suggest that to anyone. Everyone's journey through mental health diagnosis is different and what may work for one may not work for another because we are all so different genetically speaking

[Diana Febry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend to anyone directly affected by bi-polar especially family and friends of someone suffering at the higher end of the spectrum of the illness or Bi-polar 1 and I really, really wish the system would allow me to review this book without having to give it a rating.
The book is a brutally honest account of one woman's struggle with bi-polar and the damaging effect it has had on her life. The opening chapter gives an amazingly realistic and terrifying description of what it feels like to have a psychotic episode. Wow! It gave a real taste of the confusion, fear and sheer randomness and gave a very clear insight into how the sufferer feels. The honesty of the author's account and her ability to "show it like it is" is exemplary.
This side of the pond, bi-polar has also become a very "popular" catch-all diagnosis, but I recognised, sadly an ex-friend now, immediately from the symptoms and emotions the author described. Maybe reading this book would have helped me at the time but to be honest it's pretty obvious something pretty scary is going on if you witness an episode and the high speed swing between states. From reading the book I do definetly have a better understanding of how my friend felt and what she was experiencing.
The writing is technically correct and the book is organised into clear chapters. I don't know why but the only way I can describe the writing style is discordant and at times I found it very difficult to read and follow the author's train of thought. This is why I struggled to rate the book. I even slept on it a few days to see if I felt differently.
I would still, without hesitation suggest this book to a friend dealing with bi-polar, either as a suferer or a carer.

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant write up, I wasn’t sure what this book was going to be about when I first picked it up but I have always been curious about the Bipolar disorder. I have seen the disorder played up on screen and I had always wondered if that was exactly how the disorder played up in people who suffer from it. The authors memoir really takes you into the detailed journey of what happens from the beginning on to the end of each attack. I must say, I found some of the write up a bit fast paced at times, but the brilliant thing is that from this book anyone out there suffering with this disorder or that has just been diagnosed can get help with understanding what is happening to them. It will also help loved ones of people with the disorder understand what is happening to them. This book does not only address Bipolar, it is told from the perspective of someone who is a care worker and also suffers from mental health, and how she dealt with the disease, it was a set back she wished she didn’t have just like anyone with any form of disability, mental or physical but was able to get on with life and thrive and aspired to be more than the label Bipolar disorder 1. For the generosity of sharing every detail of her life in this book and all the information it gives it a simple five star for me.

[Melinda Brasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The style of this book is unique. Lots of fragments. Chatty tone with convoluted sentence structure. Lots of omitted subjects, sometimes with weird or awkward effects. A timeline that bounces around. All this isn't exactly my cup of tea, but it's interesting, and I think it is meant to echo some of the sensations of the mania described in the book.

There are a few typos and errors, but nothing too distracting.

It's a bit harsh here and there, though understandably so.

I would have liked the author to give us her definitions of psychotropic drugs and anti-psychotic drugs early in the book, because I wasn't sure if all the medicines she was talking about would count under those terms.

One of the most important things about this book, I think, is how well it conveys the feelings of guilt or shame that society imposes on people with mental illnesses, making sufferers feel inferior, like it's a choice to suffer, or a character weakness. One of the last acceptable prejudices is the whole why-don't-you-just-snap-out-of-it attitude of people who have never suffered from clinical depression or bipolar disorder. “Think happy thoughts and pray.” Happy thoughts and prayer can help, but no one tells someone with heart disease to just think happy thoughts and pray and it will all be better. There's no stigma to having heart disease, so why is there with something like bi-polar 1? I admire the author both for overcoming these feelings and for bringing them to people's attention.

This book is mostly about the author's personal journey with bi-polar 1 disorder, a difficult journey that nevertheless shines hope on the subject. McHugh tells her story in a very powerful way, bringing the reader into her experiences. It's not just her story, however. It's educational and thought-provoking. The book also includes ideas of things that have helped (and not helped) her, which might also help others.

I think this is a very good book for people suffering from bi-polar disorder, people who have a loved one suffering from the illness, and those who don't really know or understand much about it but who are open to learning.

[Rachael Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for anyone who has BP I and (in my opinion) especially helpful for anyone who is close to someone with this diagnosis. Most of the resources about this disorder are quite clinical. We can forget we are talking about people! The author is very open about her experiences, from the very onset of her BP disorder. As a reader, I was able to empathize with her throughout. Thank you for your honesty and for humanizing this mental health disorder. I know this will help a lot of people.

[Lucy Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this lively firsthand account of what it's like to live and breathe Bi-polar or Manic Depression. The author takes us on a frightening, but ultimately triumphant, journey into darkness. We see the discrimination, the drug-driven treatments, the hopelessness. However, this is a book about survival and with sharp self-knowledge and self-care, there is light at the end of the tunnel. An inspiring read!

[Ronit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book, it is a eye opener about the subject the bipolar.
I think the author is very brave to expose her self with this book. The stigma today is still very negative to people with bipolar. This book give a lot of information about the illness, general and personal. The book is well done and is recommended to people that would like to understand better the bipolar.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read

I really loved all the insight and first hand experiences that the author described. It really helped me to understand what my spouse has dealt with as someone living with Bipolar 1 and different ways I can help him. 10/10 would recommend. I couldn't put it down. Probably read the whole book within 5-6 hours.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting on board this train – a metaphor used by the author herself in describing the impact of Bipolar 1 Disorder on her brain – takes the reader through landscapes of mental illness, abuses of the mentally ill, to places of traditional and alternative treatments for the disease. At the end of the trip, the reader is better informed, empowered and inspired. There are enough negative events in the author’s life, from the onset of getting Bipolar 1 Disorder through an approximate 30-year span of living with it, to develop numerous intense, TV dramas. But there is no wallowing in self-pity here. Instead, her informative and uplifting book is fueled by an intense desire to help others – those with the disease, those caring for sufferers or those pursuing an interest - develop a deep understanding of the nature of Bipolar 1 Disorder. Along the journey, readers discover the day-to-day, year-to-year aspects of what it was like for the author to live and cope with a disease for which there is currently no known cure. She shares the gritty stories of her experiences with prescribed medical treatments and psychotropic drugs, helpful alternative treatments, the differences between Bipolar 1 Disorder and Bipolar 2 Disorder, resources for additional information, treatment of those with the disease – by the medical establishment as well as the general public, and abuses of sufferers. Her special view into this world is not politically correct and descriptions can shock you. Told with an underlying sense of humor, she throws a life line out to other sufferers helping them learn how to define and separate themselves from the disease to live a personally fulfilling life. Her words ring with the tone of hope and inspire with the joy of success. Success in not allowing herself to be totally limited by a disorder that causes periods of non-functionality and thoughts of suicide. Success in providing empowering information and courage to others. Success in not giving up, but willing herself to be a good parent and to achieve things that even fully functioning people might not achieve. This is a journey you will be glad to have undertaken.

[Jessie David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about bipolar illness, what it is like, the author's experience, and how certain things can help to improve the condition or lessen the pain etc. The author has covered in great detail what she has gone through in her life with this illness and how she overcame it. The book "Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive" offers great details and information to help others who are suffering from this condition or for their loved ones who are suffering from bipolar illness. It is not easy to write such a book, as the subject itself is very complex, very technical and medical in nature. But the author has managed to write it well and the book is easy to read. Her good attitude and open mind reflected throughout in the book. Thanks to the author for sharing her experience, offering great tips and inputs. This book helps to understand what people with bipolar illness are going through and how we can do our part to help them. Well done.

[Rick Taubold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of us I suspect have heard the term “Bipolar Disorder,” but I imagine that few, like myself, had no need to understand it unless you knew someone who suffered from it. I was not in that position. I read this book simply for a review exchange (and did purchase it) and would not have otherwise been looking for a book on this subject.

However, I am very glad that I did read it because it was a good learning experience. Author Molly McHugh has an easy-going, educated, writing style geared to teaching the reader, not preaching to him. Not only did I come away with an excellent understanding of Bipolar Disorder from an individual perspective, but I found some excellent advice about nutrition and mental health and the dangerous side effects of routinely prescribed psychiatric medications (such as those for depression. She emphasizes how the drug companies have a vested interest in seeing these medications prescribed and less interest in making sure that doctors are fully aware of the problems and permanent brain damage these drugs can cause, even when used properly.

This book provides cautionary advice regarding psychiatric diagnoses and warns against the problems of being labeled as having a mental illness and ensuring that the diagnosis is a correct one. Molly McHugh further cautions against the use of any psychiatric medications in children and teens, where doctors seem all to ready to prescribe when the child seems to have behavioral problems.

My only criticisms about this book are very minor ones. One, it was a tad long and slightly repetitive in a few spots. Two, in the beginning the author’s story is out of chronological sequence in some places and she backtracks a little. For example, the author mentions attending what she calls “POS-U” before she tells us what that means and which college it actually referred to. Overall, though, I found the book enjoyable to read and very informative, and I can highly recommend it for those aspects alone.

[John Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a manic-depressive myself, I was eager to read how author McHugh, diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder, the most severe form of manic-depression, has coped with the condition throughout her life. Her firsthand account is an amazing tale of grit, determination, and sheer will that proves it’s possible to withstand the worst that life can throw at you.

I would have given this honorable, much-needed, and well-intentioned book a higher rating but for its writing. Author McHugh writes in a sort of a rambling, repetitive, stream of consciousness not unlike chatting with your roommate nonstop. That’s not always bad because her conversational style is funny, nutty (in a good way), bare-naked honest, and deeply moving. But much of the time it’s “Where are you going with this?” or “Enough already.” The services of a good editor would have lessened the wordiness and retelling.

Having said that, there are many gems in this important book. My favorite chapter (“Social Life & Relationships”) is the most uplifting section. Here, Ms. McHugh gives thanks, despite everything she has suffered, for all the good things that have happened to her. “Being alive and not feeling awful, is enough. Still single yet having connecting on many levels with other decent, fun-loving folks throughout my life including a romantic relationship or two, is enough. Having the privilege of parenting a beautiful human being – my son now 18 years old – as a working, single mother; that is more than enough.”

If you are clinically depressed, or know someone who is, Bipolar I Disorder: How to Survive and Thrive is a primer on how to look the blackest of fears in the face and, as Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You are able to say to yourself: ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’”

[Anthony Stancomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching journey through life of someone struck by Bi-polar syndrome in early adulthood, and of her struggle to survive and prosper despite it.
We follow the author through her efforts at nursing school and college as she tried to maintain relationships with employers/ workmates/ lovers (she did well there – I wish I’d had such success!)/doctors/ parents/siblings, and she emerges from the dark tunnel later in life having learned an awful lot about her condition and being able to give advice to fellow sufferers.
Having had a child who also has suffered from bi-polar since early adulthood, I found the book absorbing. I wish the book had been around twenty years ago.
The endless different treatments and the methods she adopted to cope as her life progressed make fascinating reading indeed. It is written with great gusto and a lot of humour with a style that is quick, spare and witty, although the book itself could have done with the services of a fierce editor. It was like a suitcase into which everything had been thrown, and because it jumped around, it was sometimes difficult to follow what was happening. However, since you get carried along by freshness and rawness of the narrative, it hardly gets in the way of the information and the fulfilment – albeit harrowing – that you are given. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the disorder or living close to it.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a wonderful and powerfully honest look at Bipolar Disorder from the authors perspective, as an individual who has dealt with this disease for the majority of her adult life. At times the writing felt scattered, but this only added to the honest portrayal of someone dealing with the literal ups and downs of Bipolar disorder. Molly is so open and honest about her experiences, and she blends current research and statistics with her own anecdotal experiences, to give the reader a true picture of life with bipolar. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been diagnosed with bipolar, as well as family and friends. With over 5.7 million Americans who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder each year, this book has the potential to help an incredible number of people. One of things I like the best about this book is the positive outlook that Molly, the author, has tried to maintain. At one point Molly states, "You have to still think of the future, not let the illness control your entire life, all moments of your life. And remind yourself that everyone is screwed up a bit, not just you."

[Tracey Pedersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has taken me quite a while to read and is a much heavier topic than I would usually attempt. But in a world where more and more of us know a person or two who suffer from bipolar I think it's important that we understand exactly what it means. Molly McHugh has written in a funny, and slightly off-beat manner. Her stories run from deep despair right up to being thankful that she's been able to experience and achieve as much as she has. I loved the asides about the various people she's come in contact with and thought this added to the whole feeling of the book. I might normally rate this book as a four star read due to editing down some of the longer stories but I've thought long and hard about it and I think that's what gives this book its magic. It's a raw, first-hand account, not prettied up or made easier to swallow by removing some of the important parts. I particularly loved that the title was so true. Molly has survived and knows she can thrive. If you have any interest in this subject I heartily suggest this read.