What if I do have bipolar disorder?

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If you do turn out to have bipolar, here's the news...

Bad news	Good news
If it's bipolar, you've got it for life.	Bipolar can be effectively treated with medicines and know-how.
Bipolar episodes can ruin your career, your reputation, your marriage, your kids and could see you penniless and homeless or a law-breaker.	You can learn to protect the important things in your life.
Bipolar will cost you in medical, hospital and pharmaceutical fees and in lost earnings.	You can learn how to find a bipolar-proof job.
You can die from it. You have a 1 in 7 chance of dying by suicide.	You can learn how to protect yourself from severe episodes.
Even between episodes you could have memory and other cognitive impairment.	You could have the potential for great creativity.
Most medications have side effects.	You can learn ways of getting the best treatment.
You might be treated very badly by mental health services and hospitals.	You can learn ways of avoiding the worst of treatment and asserting yourself with health professionals. You can learn how to find a good treating doctor.
Medications alone will not give you a healthy or good life.	You need to create a whole-life wellness plan as well as taking medications.

You'll need information and suggestions to navigate your way to living well.

My book Bipolar and the Art of Roller-coaster Riding has been called comprehensive, funny and practical. It's written from the point of view of a person with bipolar (e.g. me, you). First published by Simon & Schuster.

Find out what's in the book.

Bookmark this page so you can easily find it and get the book later, if you turn out to have bipolar disorder. Or you can post this page to del.icio.us

We take this screening test seriously and care about your future, so we'd like to follow up, with your agreement.

Let's go on to the test! Subscribe to our mailing list on the way, so we can send you 'Is it Bipolar?' an informal, occasional newsletter with tips for getting a diagnosis, choosing a doctor, sorting out other conditions and so on.

Last modified 7 October 2008

This page was written and published by Madeleine Kelly, a bipolar sufferer who underwent undergraduate medical training (University of Melbourne) and who is the author of Bipolar and the Art of Roller-coaster Riding.

Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to Publisher at TwoTreesMedia dot com.

This site and the book Bipolar and the Art of Roller-coaster Riding, the 2nd edition of Life on a Roller-coaster - living well with depression and manic depression contain the opinions and ideas of the author, Madeleine Kelly. The site and the book are intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed. The book is sold with the understanding that the author is not engaged in rendering medical, health, or any other kind of professional services in the book. The reader should consult his or her medical, health, or other competent professional before adopting any of the suggestions in the book or this site or drawing inferences therefrom. The author and publisher disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book or site.