Why am I Still Depressed? : Recognizing and Managing the Ups and Downs of Bipolar II and Soft Bipolar Disorder

Foreword xi Acknowledgments xv Introduction xix PART I Do You Have a ``Mild'' Form of Bipolar Disorder? Understanding the Mood Spectrum and How It Can Help You 3(12) Understanding the Middle of the Mood Spectrum 4(6) Using the Mood Spectrum to Diagnose Bipolar Variations 10(1) Naming and Understanding the Different Types of Bipolar Disorder 10(5) Can You Be a Little Bipolar? Recognizing Hypomania 15(24) The Difference Between Hypomania and Mania 17(1) What Does Hypomania Really Look Like? Identifying Symptoms 18(9) When Hypomania Is Barely Detectable 27(4) Bipolar III: Antidepressant-Induced Mania or Hypomania 31(1) How Brief Can a Bipolar Phase Actually Be? 32(2) Depression and Hypomania at the Same Time: Recognizing Mixed States 34(5) No Mania or Hypomania? Understanding ``Soft'' Bipolar Disorder 39(16) Looking at the ``Soft Signs'' of Bipolar Disorder 40(6) Why You Should Know About Soft Bipolarity 46(3) Hormonally Related Mood Conditions and Soft Bipolarity 49(3) Can You Still Be Bipolar Without Depression? Diagnosing ``Normal'' 52(3) Making Your Diagnosis 55(26) Why Searching for Hypomania Can Be Difficult 56(5) Getting an Accurate History: How Family and Friends Can Help You 61(3) What If They Call Me Bipolar When I Really Am Not? 64(8) Bipolar Tests 72(9) What Else Could It Be? Ruling Out Conditions That Mimic Bipolar Disorder 81(22) Medical Conditions That Look Like Bipolar Disorder 82(5) Medications That Can Produce Bipolar-Like Symptoms 87(2) Psychiatric Conditions That Might Explain Your Symptoms 89(2) Conditions That Commonly Occur with Bipolar Disorder 91(12) PART II Finding and Using the Right Treatment Getting Help: How You Can Work with Your Doctor 103(16) What Your Doctor Needs to Know About You 104(6) Strategies for Working with Your Doctor 110(3) Working with Your Doctor Over Time 113(6) Where to Start: Guidelines for Choosing Treatment 119(28) Evaluating Claims by Looking for Evidence 120(4) Considering the Risks and Benefits of a Treatment 124(6) What Causes Mood Disorders Anyway? 130(4) General Guidelines for Managing Bipolar Variations 134(7) Three Main Strategies for Treating Complex Mood Disorders 141(6) Mood Stabilizers: The Core Ingredient in Medication Treatment 147(22) Examining the Mood Stabilizer Menu 148(9) How to Choose from All These Options 157(8) Balancing Hope and Realism When Using Mood Stabilizers 165(1) How Long Do You Need to Take This Stuff? 166(1) Can Trying a Mood Stabilizer Make Things Permanently Worse? 167(2) What You Need to Know When Considering Antidepressants 169(22) When Depression Is the Dominant Symptom 170(1) The Antidepressant Controversies 170(21) Managing Weight Gain from Medications or Other Causes 191(18) Not Just the Medications' Fault 192(6) How to Handle Weight Gain 198(6) Blocking Weight Gain with Antidote Medications 204(5) Simple Lifestyle Changes That Can Improve Symptoms 209(16) Watching Sleep, Light, and Darkness Closely 210(7) Stress Management: Crucial to Stabilizing Moods 217(1) Limiting or Eliminating Mind-Altering Substances 218(7) How to Use Psychotherapy Across the Mood Spectrum 225(12) Five Effective Psychotherapies 226(5) If Several Are Available, How Do You Choose? 231(1) When Should You Start---and Stop? 232(5) Exercise: Not the Usual Rap 237(10) The Best Evidence You Ever Heard 237(4) Are You Ready for a Simple Program? 241(6) How Family and Friends Can Help 247(4) First, Do No Harm 248(1) Don't Just Do Something, Sit There 248(1) Ask, Don't Tell: Collaborating 249(1) Setting Boundaries 249(1) The Problem of Insight 250(1) Concluding Thoughts 251(4) Selected References 255(8) Index 263