The Other Side of Bipolar

Book excerpt: The Other Side of Bipolar offers hope and a new perspective of mental illness that can help millions of people. A unique combination of memoir and self-help book, it invites us to reexamine our definitions of mental illness as a debilitating disease, and consider another possibility: what if instead of a wrongness, these symptoms point to capacities that are not yet fully understood? What if being bipolar or mentally ill is a sign that you have intelligences that others do not understand? Through this new perspective, you can be empowered to go beyond any diagnosis or label you have been given and start to explore the uniqueness and beauty of who you truly are. Embedded throughout this poetic story are examples of tools and techniques you can apply immediately to begin to create a sense of peace and possibility in your life. Lauren's story will captivate you and show you a path to finding peace and joy with being different, and ultimately how to utilize your difference to shift from surviving in this world to thriving and creating a satisfying life for yourself. You don't need to live a small, safe existence; you can go after your dreams, challenge yourself, and create a life far beyond what you may have thought is possible. "The Other Side of Bipolar sits apart from other autobiographical surveys of psychological struggles, offering readers the rare opportunity to explore and utilize many of the gifts formerly identified as disabilities. Any who have faced such a diagnosis will find this an inspiring, engrossing saga which offers hope, revelation, and much food for thought as it follows a journey that takes the identification of 'bipolar' and turns it upside down." -- Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review