Less than Crazy: Living Fully with Bipolar II

by Karla Dougherty

An empathetic guide to recognizing and overcoming the chronic mood disorder Bipolar II, a rapidly increasing DSM diagnosis affecting over 9 million Americans.

Bipolar II is a form of bipolar disorder in which a person, when in a manic cycle, is crippled by anxiety, irritability, and highs just intense enough to be embarrassing. Instead of being the life of the party, someone with Bipolar II might be too nervous to go to the party at all. And, unlike the Bipolar I sufferer who may attempt suicide in a depressive cycle, the Bipolar II might be incapacitated by guilt over an imaginary crime.

In Less than Crazy, health writer and Bipolar II sufferer Karla Dougherty shares her story, presenting the first patient-expert's guide to recognizing and living well with this condition. Covering both adults and children, this accessible, all-in-one resource includes information on diagnosis, conditions that may mimic Bipolar II, and treatments.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Health, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Reference

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2008

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost put the book down on page 30:

"And remember: bipolar II is a mild form of bipolar disorder. In most cases, it won't impinge on your work life to the point of incapacitation."

Not only is that the direct opposite of my work experience, pretty much every other thing I've read on the topic suggests otherwise as well.

What worked for me: her description of the anxious/manic state, and her discussion of the importance of a routine. She also had a bunch of stuff on how the brain works that I skipped, but other people might find it interesting.

What didn't work for me: her implication that most people with bipolar II only have mild forms of depression (...no), and her repeated suggestion that you just call in sick when you're having problems (I would never come to work again).

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only book I have ever found that sums up Bipolar II in a way that makes sense. Most books on Bipolar or the stories told are on Bipolar I and have gptten the most press. Less Than Crazy is well-researched, and yet extremely easy to read beccause of the beautiful stories of those diagnosed with Bipolar II and how they live their every days life. The book represents both good and bad choices and encompases brain research, medications, and life style changes. If you know of anyone who lives with Bipolar II or you do yourself. It is a must read.

[GT · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ghosh, I swore as soon as I read the very first page. Bipolar II is a much milder form of bipolar disease? (Right after she talks about the bipolar *spectrum*). WTF? This is nowhere close to the truth. Don't ever write a book about health when you don't have enough basic knowledge about the illness. Or at least, do the research. And no, you can't tell people to live fully with shit when you don't even know how they experience.

Here are some facts: statistically speaking, bipolar II patients experience more frequent depressive episodes, even more severe ones than those experienced by major (unipolar) depressed patients. They are at the highest risk of suicide: compared to the general population, BP II patients are 20% more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and attempts, versus 10-15% of bipolar II patients and 5% of the major depression patients. "Individuals with BPII use significantly more violent and lethal methods than do individuals with BPI. To reduce suicide-related morbidity and mortality, routine clinical care for BPII must include ongoing risk assessment and interventions targeted at risk factors." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

"Patients with BDI spent about 30% of the year with depressive symptoms and slightly less than 10% in states of mood elevation. In contrast, patients with bipolar II disorder (BDII) spent, on average, 51.9% of the year with depression and only 1.9% with hypomania. The most powerful predictor for risk of suicide may well be the duration of time that persons spend in a depressive/ mixed phase of the disease; therefore, the substantially greater period that patients with BDII spend in dysphoric states likely puts them at higher risk for suicide than patients with BDI." (https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view...).

Is this enough to convince you that BP II isn't a milder form of bipolar or mental illness?

PS. I realized the statement above is part of the forewords written by a psychiatrist and repeated by the author (who repeated her psychiatrist's words). Well, this is why the world is so f*** up. Kinda remind me of a gynecologist who couldn't tell that his patient's mood swings are due to her menopause and instead told her she never grown up emotionally.

[Shraddha Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apart from invalidating my (and possibly many other's) experience by calling it the "mild" version repeatedly along with a pinch of fat-shaming, most of it was quite insightful (especially the section on hypomania), given how rarely one can find any decent book on Bipolar Disorder Type II.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great intro to the disease, how it can affect one's life and gave a sufficient breakdown of how a person with bipolar II disorder often feels on a day to day. What was missing were the personal stories, alternative meds and more effective coping skills. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars because while those things were missing I still learned a lot reading this book. It spoke to me and I think the author set out to introduce but not delve into all aspects of dealing with/managing bipolar disorder. For what her aim seemed to be, she did an adequate job.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic guide to all things related to Bipolar II Disorder: symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Reading this book as a person with Bipolar II, I was awestruck by how certain aspects of my life were suddenly perfectly clear and understandable. I believe Dougherty's book is a great resource for people with Bipolar II, those who believe they might have it, and the family and friends of such people.

[Yuvi Panda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite meh. Maybe useful if you are just diagnosed with bipolar 2? But at many points the author is grateful she isn't 'actually' crazy, unlike people with schizophrenia or bipolar 1. Felt very hard to recover from that.

With that in mind, useful basics if you or a loved one has just been diagnosed! There are so few books about bipolar 2

[Andreina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a "real book" like my parents call non-fiction book. It was interesting. It answered some of my questions and raised some more that's been left unanswered. I guess I'll talk to my therapist. She knows more about this subject than me.

[Edie Kestenbaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only good thing about this book is the actual information it provides on bp2, specifically hypomania. I'm not sure the constant fat shaming and ableism was worth it, and I know the corny jokes weren't.

[Vic Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some really good information in here about bipolar 2 for the first 2/3 of the book. Then it really does turn into mumbo jumbo nonsense about how yoga can cure bipolar disorder.

Some of it is just so helpful and easy to read then devolves into cookie cutter nonsense. It also used extremely dated language and studies to support its theories. I think we've learned more about bipolar 2 and its symptoms/experiences than what the author is discussing. So very dated and just such a weird way of talking about bipolar disorder.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

extremely helpful

After discovering just in the past 2 months that both my husband of 23 years and my 20 year old daughter are BOTH BP2, this book was a lifesaver.

The insight shared here for those who love people with BP2 is so helpful. Seeing things through their eyes, and realizing all of the things that could impact their episodes gives us power to help maintain in the good times, and recognize when the bad times might be coming.

[Stephanie Yoho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravely honest and informative. The private world often kept hidden shared with us all in order to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and point out how so many diagnosis overlap in symptoms that it can take years to get the correct diagnosis. A true gift to those searching for answers for themselves and for loved ones, including diagnosis in childhood.

[Mardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for people who have bipolar II, think they might, or a loved one is in a bit of struggletown. This book is an easy read, raw and could be confronting for some people. Choose not to get sucked in by the mental health stigma and herd mentality - understanding yourself or someone else is the first step towards appreciation. 4/5

[Maximus Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!

So wonderfully written; flowed effortlessly from chapter to chapter; her hint of humor made the book fun to read and hard to put down. This book just goes to show that someone with bipolar 2 can still be absolutely brilliant and have an amazing personality!…namaste

[Amanda M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this a long time ago and remember being pretty off-put by it. I do not think it accurately represents the diagnosis and it is obviously outdated. If you struggle with Bipolar II, I highly suggest NOT reading this.

[Lothian Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book

[jayme b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy informative read

I learned a lot from this book. I have a better understanding of this mood disorder. Good information that is accessible.

[odeh ganim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

[Kathleen Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets granular about BIpolar 2

I enjoyed this book because it is totally relatable. It gave me a new perspective on the disorder. I highly recommend it !

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've begun to suspect our 19 year old daughter, like my sister, has Bipolar II. However, she is reluctant to be diagnosed -- with anything -- so we're exploring ways we may be able to cope and deal with it better, as a family. This book was my first foray into research, as recommended by said sister. I found it informative on one or two levels, including interesting informal diagnostic tools I want to run through with my daughter soon, but a lot of it seemed repetitive of things I've heard my sister tell me over the years about what it's like to live with Bipolar II. It was also written more directly TO people who suspect they may be Bipolar II, so there was extra care taken to encourage them to do things they would find difficult to face, like what to do when setting up a psychiatrist appointment. However, there was one chapter addressing parents of potentially Bipolar II kids that, even though my daughter is now 19, was really, really telling. I definitely feel better informed than going in.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book as a few friends have Bipolar II and I wanted to understand the differences between type I and type II.

This book explains the differences simply with an easy to read style. The signs of bipolar II are laid out in point form and a sample test form is in the book too.

I got a bit bored with the chapter on the brain and how it works but thought the rest if the book was good. I would have liked it to have more personal accounts from the author on how it impacted her on a daily basis, what it looked like and how it felt.

A good book if you want to understand this ever increasing diagnosed disorder impacting millions of people worldwide.

3.5 stars

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

for me this is a 2 star book, it just isn't good general information but I give it 3 stars because i think if you've had her experience it would be a 4 star.