BIPOLAR BASICS

A comprehensive overview of bipolar disorder and how to manage it.

In this debut health book, psychiatrist Marks presents a text version of material from her YouTube channel, with each chapter based on one of her videos. The book explains what bipolar disorder is, how its symptoms present themselves, and how people with the condition treat it with medication and nonmedical strategies. Marks addresses the risks and benefits of available treatment options without stoking fears about side effects or offering promises of instant cures. People with the disorder are the book’s target audience, and in several chapters, Marks answers questions posed by her YouTube viewers, offering insights into how real people cope with the disease. The book teaches readers how to identify signs that a manic episode may be starting, offers strategies for mitigating potential triggers, and describes other elements of the condition in a clear manner. The book’s final section shows how bipolar disorder compares to other psychiatric disorders with related symptoms. Infographics and well-designed text pages make the book highly readable and easy to comprehend. Marks does a good job of explaining scientific orthodoxy as well as commonly held but not officially accepted ideas, such as that bipolar behavior exists on a spectrum rather than in a binary state. The guide also provides useful templates for readers to use in designing their own mitigation strategies. However, it would have benefited from stronger copy editing, as typos such as “What Out for Springtime Mania” detract from the otherwise excellent presentation. On the whole, though, readers will find it a useful tool, as there’s a surprisingly large amount of information in this relatively short text, presented in a way that’s efficient and never overwhelming.

A well-designed and informative introduction to a common condition.