Bipolar disorder can derail a young person on the verge of adulthood if it isn't managed through acceptance and goal-setting. Resistance to the reality of diagnosis is inevitable, but acceptance of treatment is a necessity. "Facing Bipolar" is a book targeted to young adults ages 17 through 25, the most common age range for the onset of bipolar disorder. Both authors have worked with young adults with bipolar illness in this vulnerable time of transition. This book presents their simple plan, which is based on four key components: stability, stress management, self-monitoring, and sleep. Early chapters give readers a crash course in bipolar disorder: what it is, signs and symptoms, and how they can recognize its effect on their lives. Later chapters outline crucial issues such as the importance of medication and psychotherapy, the effects of hypomania (which reinforces denial), the relationship between substance abuse and bipolar disorder, and whether or not to tell others about the disorder. The authors then present their four-step plan for healthy living with bipolar disorder.

Author Biography

Russ Federman, PhD, is director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Virginia and clinical assistant professor in the university's Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiological Sciences. He is a licensed psychologist, a diplomate in clinical psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology, and a member of the editorial board for the Journal of College Counseling. J. Anderson Thomson, Jr., MD, is a staff psychiatrist at the University of Virginia's Counseling and Psychological Services in the Department of Student Health. He is a clinical assistant professor in the university's Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiological Sciences. He is also a staff psychiatrist at the University of Virginia's Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy and at Region 10 Community Services. He maintains a private practice in Charlottesville, VA.