In my last post, I stated that I was going to do a recovery plan and share it here. After looking around the internet, I decided to purchase a book to guide me through the creation of my recovery plan.
After debating between two books, I decided on a book called Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder: A 4-Step Plan for You and Your Loved Ones to Manage the Illness and Create Lasting Stability. It was between that or The Bipolar Workbook: Tools for Controlling Your Mood Swings. After reading reviews, I decided the former was the best option for me. There are many other options, so if I don’t like it I’ll just try something new. I’ll update with a review after I read it. I also purchased the book The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, Second Edition: What You and Your Family Need to Know.
While I’m on the topic of books, I’ll share a couple that I really liked. The first bipolar-related book I bought was Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder. Obviously, I did not purchase this book for myself. However, reading this book gave me a lot of clarity, at a rudimentary level. Reading the symptoms and explanations of bipolar disorder really hit me. Of course I had heard them all before, but reading about them in-depth opened my eyes. There were things that I thought were just aspects of my personality. Reading that book made it impossible for me to deny that I had bipolar disorder. Anyway, I think this book is excellent if your loved one(s) are having a hard time understanding your illness. I have the edition that I linked to, but there is a second edition available.
Another book that I absolutely loved is Welcome to the Jungle: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Bipolar but Were Too Freaked Out to Ask . I love this book. The author is so real and relatable. Not only will you learn about your disorder, but you’ll learn how to laugh at yourself, too. I can’t tell you how much I love this book.
Well, that’s it. Just wanted to update that my recovery plan won’t be posted as soon as I thought. I think working through a book will be much more effective than making something myself. I’ll share my thoughts on the books in about a week or so.
Edited to add: If you have any book suggestions, please leave them in the comments below. I’m interested in any and all things related to mental illness and/or substance abuse.