Bipolar Resources

General Resources

• Bipolar Chat - Provides information about various aspects of illness, as well as chat room and forum.
• Bipolar Disorder FAQ - Provides outlined reference to illness, based upon contributions to Usenet support groups.
• Bipolar Disorder: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment - In addition to links, fact sheet provides brief summary of illness.
• Bipolar Disorder Today - Contains large selection of information about disorder.
• Bipolar Help Center - Covers various aspects of the illness, including caregiver resources. Provided by a pharmaceutical company.
• Bipolar Hope - Offers brief description of illness, extensive listing of resources, and ezboard discussion group link.
• Bipolar I Disorder - Fact sheet contains extensive listing of links to articles and additional sources.
• Bipolar Noise - Presents necessary facts in addition to work issues, news and research, self-diagnosis, and personal writings.
• Bipolar World - Support and educational web site includes chat room, forums, email list.
• BPrayer - For significant others only; offers information, Christian support, resources, discussion group.
• Foundation for Genetic Education and Counseling: Bipolar Disorder - Highlights nonprofit promoting understanding of genetics in relationship to this and other disorders.
• Fyreniyce - Discusses basic concepts, self-medication, illness's tie to creativity. Moderates email discussion group, chat room. (Australia)
• Guide to Bipolar Disorder - Covers various aspects of the illness; includes links, resources, and message boards.
• HealthyPlace: Bipolar Community - Provides various information about illness, as well as optional sign up for mailing list.
• HealthyPlace.com Bipolar Disorder Center - Presents a comprehensive treatment of this illness.
• The Icarus Project - Writings, art, and photography concerning various aspects of this illness. Members may submit articles, participate in forums.
• Manic Moments: A Bipolar's World - Basic information also includes writings, various mailing lists, and chat room.
• Mayo Clinic: Bipolar Disorder - Medical encyclopedia outlines basic facts of this disorder.
• National Institute of Mental Health: Bipolar Disorder - NIMH overview of the illness.
• Neuroscience for Kids: Bipolar Disorder - Aimed at young audience, teaches basics, including childhood disorder.
• Northern County Psychiatric Associates: Bipolar Disorder - Essays touch upon various aspects of illness, including childhood disorder.
• Pendulum Resources - Consumer written information, including writings and email discussion group.
• Psychology Information Online: Bipolar Depression - Mental health encyclopedia covers various aspects of illness.
• The Psychopharmacology of Bipolar Disorder - A guide to medications, written by a psychiatrist, aimed at professionals.
• A Silver Lining - Provides basic info, chatroom, message boards, newsletter, and personal writings.(UK) Support Groups

Support Groups

• Bipolar Significant Others - Maintains email discussion group for loved ones of those with illness. Thorough listing of links.
• Harbor of Refuge - While focusing on chat room, also provide illness information.
• The Lithium Club - Nonprofit offers support, including newsletter. (UK)
• Manic's Dance - Offers information, poetry, a message board, and a chat room.
• Starry Night Personals - Meeting place for bipolars.

Bipolar Associations

• DBSA-Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance - About mood disorders, advocacy, the illness, donations, support groups, chapter management, information for media, programs and publications, resources and contact.
• DBSA-Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Ohio - Coordinating activities with existing chapters in the state.
• The Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association - Coping skills, information on the illness, library, store, community center, research lab, adolescent information, creativity and book reviews.
• International Society of Bipolar Disorder - Members include physicians, interns, researchers, consumers, caregivers, advocates and pharmaceutical companies.
• Medline Plus - News, overview, clinical trials, research, treatment, organizations, children, seniors and teenagers. [Also in Spanish]
• The Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorders - Meetings, book, resources, ask an expert, links, contacts, donations, what's new, newsletter and awards.

Further reading

Contemporary first-person accounts on this subject include

• Jamison, Kay Redfield. 1995. An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0-330-34651-2.
• Simon, Lizzie. 2002. Detour: My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7434-4659-3.
• Behrman, Andy. 2002. Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania. New York: Random House, 2002. ISBN 0-375-50358-7.

For a practical guide to living with bipolar disorder from the perspective of the sufferer, see

• Kelly, Madeleine Bipolar and the Art of Roller-coaster Riding. Strathbogie: Two Trees Media 2005 ISBN 0-646-44939-7

For a critique of genetic explanations of bipolar disorder, see

• Joseph, J. 2006. The Missing Gene: Psychiatry, Heredity, and the Fruitless Search for Genes. New York: Algora.

For readings regarding bipolar disorder in children, see

• Raeburn, Paul. 2004. Acquainted with the Night: A Parent's Quest to Understand Depression and Bipolar Disorder in His Children.
• Earley, Pete. Crazy. 2006. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 0-399-15313-6. A father's account of his son's bipolar disorder.
• About Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: www.bpkids.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lrn_about
• The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation: www.bpkids.org
• Time Magazine checklist for childhood/adolescent bipolarity: www.time.com/time/covers/1101020819/worksheet/
• A Model IEP for a bipolar child's medication that works correctly: http://www.bipolarchild.com/iep.html

Classic works on this subject include

• Kraepelin, Emil. 1921. Manic-depressive Insanity and Paranoia ISBN 0-405-07441-7 (English translation of the original German from the earlier eighth edition of Kraepelin's textbook - now outdated, but a work of major historical importance).
• Manic-Depressive Illness by Frederick K. Goodwin and Kay Redfield Jamison. ISBN 0-19-503934-3 (The standard, very lengthy, medical reference on bipolar disorder.)
• Touched With Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament by Kay Redfield Jamison (The Free Press: Macmillian, Inc., New York, 1993) 1996 reprint: ISBN 0-684-83183-X
• Mind Over Mood: Cognitive Treatment Therapy Manual for Clients by Christine Padesky, Dennis Greenberger. ISBN 0-89862-128-3