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Rating: 
Summary: It is helping
Review: As a workbook, this is very good, and works very well. The author seems to have a chip on her shoulder about the medical community, which is her right; however, I take her opinions with a grain of salt.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding insights to Depression and Mania
Review: I have had two children who grew up suffering with Manic Depression and this book was a life-saver (literally) for them and us as parents. Mania can be turned to positive attributes like creativity. One daughter is a published author and lecturer on clinical psychology techniques and new trends in treatment. She recommends this book as number one to read for parents and adults suffering. I highly recommend you buy this book for your family or friends suffering from these symptoms.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is not for everyone
Review: I started reading this book when I was newly diagnosed, and it was not helpful. It seems to be aimed at a grade school mentality, and the "exercises" are condescending and patronizing. If you feel that you need this type of care, this should be a good resource for you. But for people who desire a little more intellectual stimulation and who prefer to be treated as adults, I do not recommend this book. Unfortunately, there is not much alternative out there at present; the profession seems to prefer to treat down to the lowest common denominator. Sadly, no change seems to be in sight.
Rating:
Summary: This book is not for everyone
Review: I started reading this book when I was newly diagnosed, and it was not helpful. It seems to be aimed at a grade school mentality, and the "exercises" are condescending and patronizing. If you feel that you need this type of care, this should be a good resource for you. But for people who desire a little more intellectual stimulation and who prefer to be treated as adults, I do not recommend this book. Unfortunately, there is not much alternative out there at present; the profession seems to prefer to treat down to the lowest common denominator. Sadly, no change seems to be in sight.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Addition To Medication
Review: I've owned this book for several years and I refer back to it again and again. It not only contains tips for helping yourself out of a depression, but its checklists and forms actually encourage you to do the work you need to do. This book is also good for someone who is not depressed but just needs help with their lifestyle. Wonderful book. I think it will help anyone who actually uses it.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book. I highly recommend it!
Review: Sure, settings like birthday parties and family gatherings are probably good places to be if one is occasionally depressed. But for those whose depression has organic bases, usually not. In large part, the families of those who are seriously depressed do not comprehend the illness. Depression crosses the borders of socio-economic status, intelligence, and age, and its treatment is much more complex than trying to fix the symptoms.Books that do not acknowledge these basic aspects of depression fail to further the cause of helping the depressed, and possibly keep popular misunderstandings as the status quo.
Rating: 
Summary: Author is a little out of touch/not really ill
Review: The author early on in the book says that her problems (she was diagnosed as Bipolar like myself) were found to be due to a thyroid problem, and that in the ten years since she's taken the thyroid medicine to correct the problem, she has not had another episode of mania or depression. She then goes on to write a book purporting to be an expert on mood disorders and how to help yourself. The reality of the situation is likely that she only knows how to manage her own life without a mental illness and knows what strategies (generic to all people even if not ill) help her to feel better and organize her life. She doesn't seem to think medications are necessary (something common among both the newly diagnosed and people without a true mood disorder), but acknowledges with much resistance that they have "some" value. She strongly implies (or seems to) that one has a weaker moral character for taking the medications. It's a self-help book, though, so I can understand why it has to push the idea that you can help yourself. As a basis for her expert knowledge in the book, she put together a survey of 120 people (75% bipolar, 25% depression-only) from which she draws examples to use and quote from. And after the first few pages, that's what at least 50% of the book is - quotes or symptoms taken from respondents to the survey. The people reporting the description of the symptoms are not scientific experts, and there not much scientific/medical input into the book. I did find value from the one section (maybe 1/2 a page) written by a doctor where I learned of a new medication which I was able to find more information on-line about (geodon). As a result of that one little piece of knowledge, I don't feel I wasted my (Money), but the other 149.5 pages I've read so far are hardly worth the paper their printed on.
Rating:
Summary: Helped me get through the day
Review: This is an extremely practical book that everyone suffering from depression or manic depression should own. It reminded me of Miklowitz's "Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide" in that it was filled with hands on, useful suggestions for how to cope with these mental illnesses. The suggestions aren't always obvious, especially if you're depressed. This book should be used in conjunction with therapy and/or medication. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".
Rating:
Summary: Helped me get through the day
Review: This is an extremely practical book that everyone suffering from depression or manic depression should own. It reminded me of Miklowitz's "Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide" in that it was filled with hands on, useful suggestions for how to cope with these mental illnesses. The suggestions aren't always obvious, especially if you're depressed. This book should be used in conjunction with therapy and/or medication. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".
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