An Unquiet Mind : A Memoir of Moods and Madness

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Summary: A worthwhile read, but less riveting than promoted.
Review: Rambling at times, this book is nonetheless a very worthwhile read about manic-depressive disorder. One must admire Jamison's courage in publishing the details of her illness, especially when considering her position with a major university. The utility of the book will certainly be to compel those, with this disorder, to avoid a decision of discontinuing medication therapy.

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Summary: This book explained me
Review: Jamison wrote an excellant book about an incredibly hard to understand illness. If everyone could read this book, more people would understand that as sufferers of manic-depression, we truly do explore more corners of our mind and sometimes it is incredibly dark and horrible. The most captivating thing about this book is that the author describes "normal" emotions; love, friendship, and trust. Although sufferers of BPD do have a serious illness that affects nearly every aspect of our life, we basically want normal things; security, love, and understanding. She allowed the illness to have a face. This is a brilliant and encouraging work.

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Summary: Excellent roadmap for parents of bipolar children
Review: This well written, entertaining book unmasks manic depressive illness in clear language.The stories reveal the depth of the difficulty and pain the manic depressant endures. Her humor and honesty entertained me and kept me turning pages. It provides excellent descriptions of the symptoms and assisted me in dealing with my child, who suffered from the illness for years. It poignantly reflects the biases of people dealing with the afflicted person. It is easy to confuse the symptoms of behavioral emotional issues, versus physiological symptoms of the illness. This book made a life-changing impact on our lives. Thanks to Ms. Redfield Jamison for her courage to write it.

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Summary: Best book to end discrimination and stigma of mental illnes
Review: A must for any elected official and state legislators that need help with Mental Health Parity Bills. It is unsurpased in the ability to point out in laymans terms that those with biological brain disorders are no different than those with physical disorders.

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Summary: Great reading!!!
Review: I found it most facinating as well as thought provoking...wondering how many folks I personally have known, who fit this pattern. Inspirational, how she has rose from the edge of despair, how she made it back and with what courage she faced her peirs and helped the world understand that DR.'s are human too. Not only her personal struggles but now how she uses the insights she has gained to help others with the same plight. Great reading.

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Summary: Enlightening . . .
Review: For the first time in my relationship with my bipolar significant other, I could understand what he goes through in all of the gory details. This book not only gave me insight but also confronted my existentialist mind with the fact that sometimes people are trapped in someways, that we are not all "condemned to be free". For a manic depressive there are real biochemical obstacles to overcome on a daily basis. Decisions that are commonplace to others become incredibly difficult when a person is manic or depressed. Judgement is clouded and only through treatment do they again become clear. I applaude Dr. Jamison and all of those struggling with manic-depression.

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Summary: Having trouble sleeping? Read this book.
Review: Our Book Club made the mistake of selecting this book. The book is QUITE repetitive. Read the first chapter or two at the bookstore -- then put it back on the shelf; you will have gleaned all that is available. Sorry -- I don't want/mean to bash -- I just simply cannot recommend An Unquiet Mind.

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Summary: An absolute MUST read for those who have suffered from this.
Review: After many years of trudging the mountains and valleys of the journey that is manic-depression (aka: bipolar disorder) I felt so terribly alone. No one in my life understood it, and after dealing with the ups and downs, most of them really didn't care to. It was on the advice of my psychiatrist that I came to read this particular book. I had been searching with an insatiable hunger for someone that I could relate to. With great elation, I found her in the pages of 'An Unquiet Mind'. At last, I was not alone. Kay Jamison became a silent friend and comrade and provided some much needed comfort as I began a new course of treatment and continued my quest to fully understand my condition. Perhaps the most incredible aspect of her story comes from her career as a psychiatrist. She offers invaluable insight into both sides of the disease being a doctor as well as an affected patient. She has blessed us by sharing this insight that we would probably never have seen b! ut truly need to in order to fully understand the relationship of doctor and patient. Also noteworthy is the fact that it is written in such a way as to give friends and loved ones a chance to peek inside the bipolar mind in an objective way. They learn that this is why I do that and that is why I do this which enables them to better deal with it all. Though I have never met her personally, I feel a great kinship with this woman. I'm certain that others who have read this book must surely share in the relief and comfort of knowing that they are not alone. Thank you Kay Jamison for giving us that gift.

Rating:
Summary: She is Lisa Simpson gone Manic
Review: Picture Lisa Simpson on lithium. Kay loves poetry, classical music, fell in-love and married a man from France that she met while studing over seas, and seems to have received all A's on her report card. If you are familiar with bipolar disorder (a label Kay does not like) she offers nothing new. Luckily, I have used her medical articles in my own Psychology, so I know she is an expert in the field. Unfortunetly, you could not tell it in her book

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing, lucid, and evocative
Review: We all need to understand this life. Read it and only hope that we can begin to understand the depth of the struggle in which the ones we love are engaged. It will help you understand someone you already know.