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cryingcowboy's review against another edition
4.0
As someone with Bipolar II this book was not only hard to read at times but it was also a comfort. I felt less alone after reading this.
theag7's review against another edition
5.0
Visceral, vibrant, vivacious, eye-opening, gutting, and passion-filled.
beachybookstack's review against another edition
4.0
It's a little scary to recognize those you know in a book like this, but not shocking. That recognition becomes linked to the experience described by Jamison, creating a sort of outside sympathy for the manic-depressive individuals in your life. The rage, the spending, the moments lost in a manic moment. I could not imagine dealing with something like this within my own self and thankfully I have no family history of such an illness. Nonetheless, this was eye opening to understand what the patient feels (I'm not a physician, just a support for friends, etc).
Parts emphasis the power of love and potential for 'normality' and productivity within manic life. I'm amazed that she could hide it for so long. Perhap it was the benefit of living in a period when mental illness was more shameful and even less discussed. Nowadays we overuse terms like "crazy" and "depressed," overmedicate and overdiagnose. There must be a balance between all these extremes, but I don't see that happening very soon. Living in an affluent area gives you an interesting understanding of just how easy it is to avoid therapy appointments and throw pills at problems that require more attention. Jamison demonstrates this point well, naming both lithium and psychotherapy as important components for her continued recovery.
Parts emphasis the power of love and potential for 'normality' and productivity within manic life. I'm amazed that she could hide it for so long. Perhap it was the benefit of living in a period when mental illness was more shameful and even less discussed. Nowadays we overuse terms like "crazy" and "depressed," overmedicate and overdiagnose. There must be a balance between all these extremes, but I don't see that happening very soon. Living in an affluent area gives you an interesting understanding of just how easy it is to avoid therapy appointments and throw pills at problems that require more attention. Jamison demonstrates this point well, naming both lithium and psychotherapy as important components for her continued recovery.
_erin02's review against another edition
2.75
I really liked learning about manic depression, from the view of someone who had it. But I also felt she was very repetitive throughout the book, didnt like that she wouldnt just list how old she waw during some of the mania time frames as listing the year it happened didnt provide ANY context for me, and had issues with the last part of the book. The main of her say if we have less manic-depressive kids the world could be blander, to me it implies that "normal" people are bland, lacking the personality she goes on to say that comes with manic-depression. Then later saying someone would benefit for a little mania... that's not it, just as he was wrong for his response eto her saying she has mania to then imply he sucks because he's "normal" you're doing the SAME reaction as him... judging.
Then again in the epilogue saying people can't understand depression because losing a job or going through a divorce, you have no idea what could string someone into a depression, to say these people are just in a depressed state is very unsenisitive... especially considering you're supposed to be a psychologist. Gave the vibes of well if they don't have manic-depression they haven't faced turmiols or they don't know what depression is... and that's not it.
Then again in the epilogue saying people can't understand depression because losing a job or going through a divorce, you have no idea what could string someone into a depression, to say these people are just in a depressed state is very unsenisitive... especially considering you're supposed to be a psychologist. Gave the vibes of well if they don't have manic-depression they haven't faced turmiols or they don't know what depression is... and that's not it.
kelshenka's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
An important book for anyone who works with people who have a mood disorder.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
littleseal's review against another edition
This has been on my to-read list for years, both as a therapist and a daughter of a mother who has bipolar disorder.
Thank you for being vulnerable. Obviously some of the information Kay wrote is outdated now, but it's still a very intense look into psychology during the 70s/80s, as well as someone struggling with what was then-called manic-depressive disorder.
Thank you for being vulnerable. Obviously some of the information Kay wrote is outdated now, but it's still a very intense look into psychology during the 70s/80s, as well as someone struggling with what was then-called manic-depressive disorder.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Cursing, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
sarahpmedeiros's review against another edition
5.0
This book was very powerful and I appreciated her raw honesty. I feel like I learned so much from it and I’m grateful she wrote it.
bethschloeder's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
3.0
I had a much clearer view of manic-depression after reading this book, although I also found it more frightening than before.
nathaliagoncalves's review against another edition
5.0
Ler esse livro foi reconfortante e ao mesmo tempo dolorido, mas principalmente foi bom ler a descrição de coisas que sinto que eu to inventando, foi bom me sentir validada e com esperança