Hi there. Yesterday I was diagnosed as bipolar. We don't know which sort yet (at the moment type 2 is likely) because I've been on all sorts of other stuff over the years (prescribed) which sort of muddies the water.
Previously, we've assumed I'm severely depressed but I'm burning my way thought anti-depressants and having very odd reactions to them. It was only yesterday when all the parts of the puzzle swam into focus and we suddenly realised that bipolar is much more likely.
I'm mostly OK with it. Relieved that there might be some explanation as to why I am the way I am. Relieved that we might find treatments that work. However, following the come down from yesterday, I'm now a bit weepy and hollow.
My main concern is that I know very little about this. I've spent 15 years dealing with depression, and I've read many of the books and followed the news stories on it. I know that illness through and through. I need to research bipolar now. I need to get some sort of understanding. I've started with Amazon, but I'm not sure which book to get and where to start.
I'm not looking for a cure. I'm just looking to understand what I have. That's the sort of book I think I need first of all (we can look to managing the condition afterwards). I wondered if anyone out there had read anything that made sense and might be able to recommend something.
I should say, my attention span is similar to that of a startled kitten at the moment, so I'm not going to manage anything with huge chunks of text or wordy scientific details. I mean, I'm not at Peter and Jane levels, but I'm not going to manage anything in the Lancet.