Crossover

by Brett Stevens

Brett is intense. Intense as a youth piecing together the world. Intense as an undersized point guard, middle child, and student. Intense as a professional poker player, manager, and problem solver. But most notably, intense as an unaware manic mind set free in the world. Crossover: A Look inside a Manic Mind is a personal memoir detailing the evolution of psychotic thoughts and how they influenced Brett’s behavior during the three manic episodes that spanned the past decade of his life. Through basketball, poker, and work, Crossover offers a firsthand account of how the world looks and feels as a person with Bipolar I from childhood traits to adult expression. Brett’s recall of these incidents is so detailed because he has a rare condition called hypermnesia, an unusually enhanced, vivid, and precise memory. His perspective sheds light on the progression of bipolar disorder and will enhance your ability to learn and empathize with those affected by the illness. Suicide among people with bipolar disorder is thirty times higher than the general population, yet the cause and prevention remain a mystery. Brett’s story is educational and inspiring for anyone who suffers from or has been affected by mental illness. It is a must read for medical professionals, therapists, students, and teachers.

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2019

Reviews

[Pamela Eulalio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this book. Five years ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 and have been on the look out for similar stories. There is just this need to connect with others that have gone through similar things and Brett's story is the closest one to my own I've found yet. It definitely triggered me back to those moments but it has helped me to be a little more accepting of my own situation.

Other personal stories I have read feel heavy and often wallow in the down moments, but not this one. Brett shares his experiences in a very straightforward "This is the way it was" type of way.

I also always have a hard time with foul language and even have a physical reaction to it. So fair warning, the F word is used quite often, but if you can get past that it is certainly worth a read.

And just in case Brett ever reads this review, I just want to say hang in there and know that you can definitely have those things in life that might have felt distant from these experiences. Being bipolar makes the idea of having kids hard but as a mother of six I promise it is possible and even manageable. 😉

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated that Brett had the courage to share his story with us, a story of resilience that one can still achieve goals and have a fulfilling life with Bipolar 1 disorder. So if he ever sees this review, thank you.

Spoilers below!

I give this book four stars.

I had trouble initially reading this book. There’s a lot of talk surrounding basketball, which I generally just don’t have interest in, so it was hard for me to get through. As it went on, I definitely became more interested! Brett does a great job sharing about how his manic mind works. I thought it was interesting how the different song lyrics throughout the book impacted his hallucinations and moods. As a mental health therapist, I wish there was more about his experiences in treatment. What worked/what didn’t when he was inpatient. Brett shares more at the end about finding good providers but also states he had been in therapy for 10 years at that point. What did he think would have helped therapeutically in between his episodes? I’m curious if his second book shares more. Overall, a good read!

[Martha Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a hard, disturbing and powerful book. Knowing someone with bipolar, it becomes so real to read how the mind is working during manic episodes and how slow it works during the depression. The ending did offer hope.