Where to Find Information About Bipolar Depression

The hunt for good factual information about bipolar depression can be exhausting, but the resources do exist. Fortunately, since bipolar depression is easier to spot and better understood than mania, there is more information in the mental health community. However, it is still vitally important to make sure you are getting the right information from the right sources. Here are some good sources of information.

Support Groups

Online groups and real life support groups can be an excellent source of information. Some of the "veterans of bipolar disorder" have a great deal of information from years of personal study of bipolar depression and bipolar disorder. One of the best online groups is the bipolar disorder support group at MDJunction.com. This group has over 3,000 members that are patients, family, and friends of someone with bipolar disorder. The environment is generally very friendly, and most members will jump on an opportunity to answer questions for someone seeking information about bipolar depression and bipolar disorder.

Books

Sometimes the best source of information is still the library or local bookstore. Here are some of the most helpful books that feature bipolar depression.

The Bipolar Workbook: Tools for Controlling Your Mood Swings by Monica Rarmirez Basco. This book mostly discusses ways to learn to recognize symptoms of depression or mania, and then teaches the reader how to cut off those symptoms before they become a full-blown episode. This is also a very helpful tool for learning about and coping with bipolar depression.

Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families (2^nd Edition) by Francis Mark Mondimore

This is a great book for both the patient and the patient's family. The introduction is probably the most helpful bit of information for people looking for information on bipolar depression, but the rest of the book is also very helpful.

Bipolar Disorder for Dummies by Candida Fink and Joe Kraynak

Has an appropriate sense of humor, considering the subject matter. For the funnier take on the facts, this is an excellent book.

Websites

DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)- This website contains quite a bit of information on bipolar depression and bipolar disorder. It is very well-organized and reader-friendly, and it also has other media resources, as well as a support group locater. For more information, visit http://www.dbsalliance.org

NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health)- This websites has some of the best organized information on various subjects, including bipolar depression and bipolar disorder. For more information, visit: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index.shtml

The sources listed above are just a few of the many sources containing information about bipolar depression.