A Primer on Depression and Bipolar Disorder

III. BIBLIOGRAPHY

It is usually helpful to those dealing with depression and bipolar disorder, whether their own or that of a friend/family member, to read about these illnesses and their treatment. By doing so they can gain a fuller understanding of how the illnesses work, and how best to fight back against them. However, the technical and nontechnical literature on depression and bipolar disorder is vast. This is both good and bad: good because it indicates that rapid progress in research is being made, bad because the beginner doesn't know what to read first. I have therefore listed below, with descriptive comments, a few books on depression and bipolar disorder that provide a good starting point. Most of them are nontechnical, but a couple require more background.

Moodswing. Revised edition. By R.R. Fieve. Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103. 1989.

One of the great classics of the nontechnical literature on depression and bipolar disorder. I always recommend this book to everyone who has to cope with depression or bipolar disorder; if you read only one book on the subject, read this one! The book made such a deep impression on me because it was on its pages that I first found an accurate description of both the depressive and the manic experiences of my own life, along with a message of hope that these illnesses can be treated successfully. Dr. Fieve was one of the pioneers in the use of lithium therapy in the U.S. His empathy, compassion, and concern for people who are CMI come through loud and clear. A particularly useful feature of the book is the Fieve-Dunner Manic-Depressive Mood Scale on p.203. Through its use the victim and someone in his/her support system can both evaluate the degree of mania or depression present with surprising accuracy. I did this daily for over a year in my period of rehabilitation from my 1986 crash, which allowed me to keep track of both progress and occasional backslides reasonably objectively.

Overcoming Depression. By D.F. Papolos and J. Papolos. Harper & Row Publishers, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. 1988.

This is arguably the best nontechnical book yet written about depression. The discussion is accurate, up-to-date, and balanced. It gives a good description of the basic biochemical model of how depression works; the experience of the victim; treatment; and the effect of depression within a family structure. Further it gives excellent advice about coping with the down-to-earth issues of hospitalization and insurance. Appendices at the end of the book include listings of local chapters of the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association (NDMDA) and state affiliates of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).

The Good News About Depression. By M.S. Gold. Villard Books, New York. 1987.

This is an excellent nontechnical discussion of depression as a biochemical illness, and the modern approach to its treatment. It covers most of the main topics in a very readable style. In addition to a useful list of references to the literature, it contains an extremely valuable list of biopsychiatrists (i.e. psychiatrists who work with the medical/biological model of depression) in the U.S.

From Sad To Glad. By N.S. Kline. Ballantine Books, New York. 1974.

Another fine book in the same genre as ``Moodswing''. Kline's point of view is different enough from Fieve's to make the book worth reading. Unfortunately the book is getting old, and doesn't reflect the recent explosion in knowledge about effective drugs for depression and bipolar disorder. Even so it is definitely worth reading.

The Broken Brain By N.C. Andreasen. Harper & Row, Publishers, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. 1984.

A remarkable guide to most of the major mental illnesses from the point of view of brain function, brain chemistry, and the biophysics of neurotransmission, all rendered in clear nontechnical language (the author was a professor of English before she became a research psychiatrist!). This hopeful account of modern research on mental illnesses and their cure is required reading for any who are touched in some way by mental illness.

Manic-Depressive Illness. By F.K. Goodwin and K.R. Jamison. Oxford University Press. 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. 1990.

This massive tome (900 pages!) is destined to become the "Bible" on depression and bipolar disorder. It is authoritative and comprehensive, covering almost every imaginable topic relating to these illnesses. It contains over 100 pages of references to both the nontechnical and research literature on the subject. Not everyone will want to own this book because it is expensive and somewhat technical. Nevertheless it is an excellent reference book for almost everyone.

Lithium Encyclopedia For Clinical Practice 2nd ed. By J.W. Jefferson, J.H. Greist, D.L. Ackerman, and J.A. Carroll. American Psychiatric Press, Inc. 1400 K Street N.W., Washington, DC 20005. 1987.

This is the definitive book on the use of lithium in the treatment of bipolar affective disorder. The book covers an immense range of topics: the action of lithium, its interaction with other drugs, its effects on other conditions, side effects, and practical advice for its use. Everyone coping with bipolar disorder will find this book a very good addition to their home library.

The Essential Guide To Psychiatric Drugs. By J.M. Gorman. St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. 1990.

An excellent up-to-date discussion of the common psychiatric drugs (for all illnesses, not just depression and bipolar disorder). It gives an thorough account of what each specific medication does, how treatment should be tailored to special cases (e.g. to the elderly), information about side effects, and tips on treatment management. It also provides you the information and vocabulary you need in order to discuss medication effectively with your doctor. Everyone should own this book.

The Pill Book, 9th ed. By B. Stern, L.D. Chilnick, G.I. Simon, and H.M. Silverman. Bantam Books Inc., 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103. 1996.

This inexpensive paperback gives a brief description of most of the common medications dispensed by a typical pharmacy. While the vast majority of the entries have nothing to do with mental illness, all of the common psychiatric drugs are covered. Special chapters discuss how drugs act in the body; interaction with foods, alcohol, side effects.

Guide To The New Medicines Of The Mind. By J.L. Berlant, I. Extein, and L.S. Kirstein. Psychiatric Institutes of America Press. 1988.

A very compact book giving basic information about most of the commonly used psychiatric drugs.

Feeling Good. By D.D. Burns. New American Library, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. 1980.

This book explains "cognitive therapy," which has been used successfully to treat some forms of depression without medication. The author shows readers how to train themselves to recognize and screen out "negative" thoughts arising from misperceptions about, and misevaluations of, the actual reality in which they live. The clinical evidence for the effectiveness of this method is strong. My own opinion (from my own experience) is that this therapy is not very effective for one in the grips of a major biogenic depression until appropriate medication restores the victim to a near-normal state. On the other hand, once even rough equilibrium is restored, this approach can be very helpful for teaching the victim how to avoid or cancel future psychogenic triggers that could precipitate another major depressive event. Put another way, the book teaches good mental, emotional, and cognitive "hygiene".

Celebrate Your Self. By D.C. Briggs. Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, New York. 1977.

This book is unlike any other on the list; it is a handbook for the enhancement of the reader's self-esteem. My own opinion is that the book would not likely be of much help to someone with a severe chronic biogenic depression requiring medical intervention (i.e. medication). But once suitable medication is found to bring the medical problem under control, and the victim back into the more-or-less normal range, this is an excellent book for one seeking to rebuild (or even find for the first time!) his/her self-esteem. It is a book worth reading and rereading many times.

Depression and Spiritual Growth. By D. Mihalas. Private circulation. 1998. Available on the web.

This pamphlet, by me, expresses the view, based on my own experience, that despite the pure misery of a period of deep depression, it can be a time when one can gain deep personal insights, and can experience profound spiritual growth. As a result, one may emerge from this terrible time as a new person, stronger, and better able to deal with the world.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders : Dsm-IV, 4th Edition, Text Revision (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th. American Psychiatric Association, 1400 K Street N.W., Washington, DC 20005. 1987.

This small book is an abstract of the main diagnostic criteria that characterize all commonly recognized mental illnesses, taken from the definitive Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, which is used by all professionals dealing with mental illness. It will probably be of most interest to insatiably inquisitive CMI people (or their family/friends) who want to know "what is wrong with me?" It is potentially a dangerous book however, because the lay reader may infer the wrong meaning from terms which are being used in a very precise way by the authors, but with technical meanings different from the common ones. Any information or conclusions one draws from this book should be carefully checked out with the physician in charge.

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