Preventing Bipolar Relapse: A Lifestyle Program to Help You Maintain a Balanced Mood and Live Well

by Ruth C. White

Overview

If you buy just one book on bipolar disorder, let this be it.

There’s an old saying: “Prevention is better than cure.” If you have bipolar disorder, this is especially true. For you, it's incredibly important to read the warning signs of a possible episode. For instance, you may find you are not sleeping as well as usual, or you might be sleeping too much. You may stop doing things that you normally enjoy, or you may start acting out your impulses in ways that alienate those around you or get you into trouble.

While the path to wellness for those with bipolar may involve psychiatric visits and medication adjustments, preventing manic and depressive episodes is the true key to staying healthy and happy. So how do you do it? And most importantly, how can you keep yourself motivated?

In this powerful, breakthrough book, bipolar expert Ruth C. White shares her own personal approach to relapse prevention using the innovative program SNAP (Sleep, Nutrition, Activity, and People). White also offers practical tips and tracking tools you can use anytime, anywhere. By making necessary lifestyle adjustments, you can maintain balanced moods, recognize the warning signs of an oncoming episode, and make the necessary changes to reduce or prevent it.

This is the first and only book on bipolar disorder that focuses exclusively on prevention. To help you stay well, White includes links to helpful online tracking tools so that you can manage your symptoms, anytime, anywhere. If you are ready to stop living in fear of your next episode, this life-changing book can help you take charge of your diagnosis—and your life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608828814
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	05/01/2014
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	268,699
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Ruth C. White, PhD, MPH, MSW, is clinical associate professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work and has taught undergraduate and graduate students in social work for fifteen years. White received her MSW from McGill University and her PhD and MPH from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked as a social worker in Canada, the US, and the UK in various types of social work settings, and she keeps a blog at bipolar-101.blogspot.com. To find out more about White, visit ruthcwhite.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

Introduction 1

1 Medication 11

2 Tracking and Monitoring Your Triggers and Mood 27

3 Sleep 41

4 Nutrition 61

5 Activity 89

6 People 121

Conclusion 153

Resources 155

References 159

Editorial Reviews

“Bipolar disorder represents one of the most complex and challenging mental health conditions. Self-management or wellness strategies are a critical part of achieving optimal health and quality of self when living with the condition. Preventing Bipolar Relapse represents a valuable resource for people who are newly diagnosed, struggling, or just wanting to learn from someone who has been there how best to stay in balance. Packed full of evidence-informed tips and tools, this accessible and pragmatic book offers ways for people with bipolar disorder to flourish.”
—Erin Michalak, associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and coeditor of Practical Management of Bipolar Disorder

“Preventing Bipolar Relapse is an essential guide for the consumer and caregiver alike. White's SNAP approach gives the reader an easy method to successfully navigate the complexities of bipolar disorder. Her personal experience offers hope, encouragement, and the tools to prevent relapse.”
—Muffy Walker, MSN, MBA, founder and chairman of the board at the International Bipolar Foundation

“Maintaining stabilization and relapse prevention is one of the most important and challenging aspects of treatment for bipolar disorder. This is a topic that has rarely been addressed in the integrative way White spells out in her book. Highly recommended ... both for those suffering from bipolar disorder and their loved ones.”
—John Preston, PsyD, professor emeritus with Alliant International University, Sacramento

“This book written by Ruth C. White is unique. It was written by a trained caregiver who has specialized in the psychosocial treatments of bipolar disorder with an emphasis on prevention. Importantly, White suffers from bipolar disorder, which enables her to provide her own personal approach to better recognize when the condition becomes unstable. White focuses on lifestyle adjustments that can be tailored depending on the individual’s circumstances, but without undervaluing the importance of pharmacologic treatment. This volume may be a very valuable tool to aid patients and their care givers to better manage bipolar disorder.”
—Mauricio Tohen, MD, DrPH, MBA, professor and chairman in the department of psychiatry at the Health Sciences Center at the University of New Mexico

“Ruth C. White’s Preventing Bipolar Relapse is a leave-no-stone-unturned, skillfully detailed, comprehensive guide to preventive care. Her Sleep, Nutrition, Activity and People (SNAP) program is the missing link between how we have approached relapse management and how we need to going forward. It is a must-read and must-follow for anyone with bipolar disorder, his or her loved ones, or professionals in the field of mental illness. We wish we had this book when we were diagnosed!”
—Wendy K. Williamson and Honora Rose, authors of Two Bipolar Chicks Guide to Survival: Tips for Living with Bipolar Disorder

From the Publisher