The New York Times bestseller “A glistening psychological history, faceted largely by the biographies of eight famous leaders . . .” —The Boston Globe “A provocative thesis . . . Ghaemi’s book deserves high marks for original thinking.” —The Washington Post “Provocative, fascinating.” —Salon.com Historians have long puzzled over the apparent mental instability of great and terrible leaders alike: Napoleon, Lincoln, Churchill, Hitler, and others. In A First-Rate Madness, Nassir Ghaemi, director of the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts Medical Center, offers a myth-shattering exploration of the powerful connections between mental illness and leadership and sets forth a controversial, compelling thesis: The very qualities that mark those with mood disorders also make for the best leaders in times of crisis. From the importance of Lincoln's "depressive realism" to the lackluster leadership of exceedingly sane men as Neville Chamberlain, A First-Rate Madness overturns many of our most cherished perceptions about greatness and the mind.
With candor and humor, a manic-depressive Iranian-American Muslim woman chronicles her experiences with both clinical and cultural bipolarity. Born to Persian parents at the height of the Islamic Revolution and raised amid a vibrant, loving, and gossipy Iranian diaspora in the American heartland, Melody Moezzi was bound for a bipolar life. At 18, she began battling a severe physical illness, and her community stepped up, filling her hospital rooms with roses, lilies and hyacinths. But when she attempted suicide and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there were no flowers. Despite several stays in psychiatric hospitals, bombarded with tranquilizers, mood-stabilizers, and anti-psychotics, she was encouraged to keep her illness a secret—by both her family and an increasingly callous and indifferent medical establishment. Refusing to be ashamed or silenced, Moezzi became an outspoken advocate, determined to fight the stigma surrounding mental illness and reclaim her life along the way. Both an irreverent memoir and a rousing call to action, Haldol and Hyacinths is the moving story of a woman who refused to become a victim. Moezzi reports from the frontlines of an invisible world, as seen through a unique and fascinating cultural lens. A powerful, funny, and moving narrative, Haldol and Hyacinths is a tribute to the healing power of hope and humor.
In 1992, Rahla Xenopoulos was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Despite the devastating diagnosis, she sought education on her affliction. Although she found an abundance of literature on various mental illnesses, none of it seemed applicable to her. This situation inspired her to write a book chronicling her ongoing efforts to come to terms with a disease that is, in effect, a life sentence. The book recounts her upbringing in an eccentric, loving Jewish family, her struggle with bulimia, anorexia and self-mutilation, her attempts at suicide, finding true love and, finally, the ‘crazy, utterly unpredictable experience of giving birth to triplets’. This is neither a self-help book nor a medical guide. Reading this book will not cure anyone; bipolar disorder is a chronic illness. But it did help Rahla - as it will countless others - ‘to understand the rhythm in the cacophony of this condition’.
In her revealing bestseller Call Me Anna, Patty Duke shared her long-kept secret: the talented, Oscar-winning actress who won our hearts on The Patty Duke Show was suffering from a serious-but-treatable-mental illness called manic depression. For nearly twenty years, until she was correctly diagnosed at age thirty-five, she careened between periods of extreme euphoria and debilitating depression, prone to delusions and panic attacks, temper tantrums, spending sprees, and suicide attempts. Now in A Brilliant Madness Patty Duke joins with medical reporter Gloria Hochman to shed light on this powerful, paradoxical, and destructive illness. From what it's like to live with manic-depressive disorder to the latest findings on its most effective treatments, this compassionate and eloquent book provides profound insight into the challenge of mental illness. And though Patty's story, which ends in a newfound happiness with her cherished family, it offers hope for all those who suffer from mood disorders and for the family, friends, and physicians who love and care for them.
Terri Cheney ripped the covers off her secret battle with bipolar disorder in her New York Times bestselling memoir, Manic. Now, in this "stigma-buster" and "must-read", she blends a gripping narrative with practical advice (Elyn Saks). Cheney flips mental illness inside out, exposing the visceral story of the struggles, stigma, relationship dilemmas, treatments, and recovery techniques she and others have encountered. Sometimes humorous, sometimes harrowing, Modern Madness is the ultimate owner's manual on mental illness, breaking this complex subject down into readily understandable concepts like Instructions for Use, Troubleshooting, Maintenance, and Warranties. Whether you have a diagnosis, love or work with someone who does, or are just trying to understand this emerging phenomenon of our times, Modern Madness is a courageous clarion call for acceptance, both personal and public. With her candid and riveting writing, Cheney delivers more than heartbreak; she promises hope.
Marya Hornbacher, author of the international best-sellers Madness and Wasted, offers an enlightening examination of the Twelve Steps for those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. In this beautifully written recovery handbook, New York Times best-selling author Marya Hornbacher applies the wisdom earned from her struggle with a severe mental illness and addiction to offer an honest and illuminating examination of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. Relaying her recovery experiences, and those of the people with whom she has shared her journey, Hornbacher guides readers through the maze of special issues that make working each Step a unique challenge for those with co-occurring disorders. She addresses the difficulty that many with a mental illness have with finding support in a recovery program that often discourages talk about emotional problems, and the therapy and medication that they require. At the same time, Hornbacher reveals how the Twelve Steps can offer insights, spiritual sustenance, and practical guidance to enhance stability for those who truly have to approach sanity and sobriety one day at a time.
A riveting memoir, The Last Day of July, tells the stunningly brave and powerful true account of one man's descent into major depressive and manic episodes and how he found lifesaving therapy and medication to overcome and triumph. When thirty-five-year-old John Medl is involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital, he is sure it is a mistake. A graduate from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, John's life appears ideal. How did he get here? In this gripping and breathtaking narrative that makes the reader feel as though they are listening in on a private conversation, John reveals his delusions and battles with mental illness. Intriguing and riveting, this true story of perseverance, when all hope seems lost, is inspiring and unforgettable. The Last Day of July shines as a beacon of hope for all struggling with their mental health that they can find their own path to healing. It is the third book in his Workings of a Bipolar Mind series. Get it Now! Related Authors: Sonja Wasden David Poses Katie Rose Guest Pryal Marya Hornbacher Merryl Hammond Julie A. Fast Dave Mowry David J. Miklowitz Aimee Daramus PsyD Terri Cheney Merryl Hammond PhD Michael Rose MA Kay Redfield Jamison Francis Mark Mondimore Related Books: An Impossible Life: The Inspiring True Story of a Woman's Struggle from Within The Weight of Air: A Story of the Lies about Addiction and the Truth about Recovery Life of the Mind Interrupted: Essays on Mental Health and Disability in Higher Education Madness: A Bipolar Life Mad Like Me: Travels in Bipolar Country Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner (The New Harbinger Loving Someone Series) OMG That's Me!: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and More... The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know Understanding Bipolar Disorder: The Essential Family Guide Manic: A Memoir Navigating Bipolar Country: Personal and Professional Perspectives on Living with Bipolar Disorder BIPOLAR WELLNESS: How to Recover from Bipolar Illness: An Entertaining Memoir with Simple Action Strategies for Every Stage of Recovery Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament The Concise Guide to Bipolar Disorder (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) Keywords: Mental Health, Bipolar Disorder, Manic Depression, Mania, Depression, Memoir Guide Survival
Angelica was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1994. Over the years, she has been hospitalized 10 times. Her last hospitalization was in 2007. Today, however, she leads a new life one of joy, good health, gratitude, peace and abundance. This is her story of how she came to terms with living with bipolar. Its a story about mental illness and childhood trauma, and how they can affect family members and loved ones. Its a story of healing and hope, and how one woman overcame the demons of her past in order to live a happier, healthier life.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A deeply powerful memoir about bipolar illness that has both transformed and saved lives—with a new preface by the author. Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attempted suicide. Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication.