Library / Living With Mental Illness
Read this when
An Unquiet Mind
The expert on bipolar disorder had bipolar disorder, and she still stopped her meds because she missed the highs. You're not the only one. 🌙
Who it's for
Jamison, a clinical psychologist and leading researcher on bipolar disorder, describes her own illness from inside: the seductive, starry rush of mania, the wreckage afterwards, and the flat despair of depression.
Feelings it meets
What it is
In this 1995 memoir, clinical psychologist and psychiatry professor Kay Redfield Jamison describes her own experience of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). She recounts manic and depressive episodes, treatment with lithium and psychotherapy, and a severe depression that led to a suicide attempt she survived.
Where to find it
In print (Vintage); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain.
Before you start
Heads up: A suicide attempt and bipolar episodes.
Age: Ages 16+
Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.Helen Keller, Optimism: An Essay
