Bipolar Today

A new book called God Placed Her In My Path: Lessons Learned from the Furnace of Bipolar Disorder details the struggles of a bipolar mother in dealing with her daughter’s bipolar disorder. The disorder began for her daughter in childhood, as early as grade three. He daughter was diagnosed with ADHD and, not surprisingly, she did not respond to treatment. Even after an adult diagnosis, however, their daughter did not always take her medication, the parents were unable to intervene because of privacy laws, and their daughter ultimately committed suicide. Dorothy Ruppert, the author, has now become an advocate for awareness on mental health issues, and organizes events such as a hair-cutting fund-raising drive (more information about this event can be found here.

Commentary

This book is especially interesting for a number of reasons. Most books on bipolar disorder are written from the perspectives either of physicians or of patients. While they have the most expertise and experience with bipolar disorder, respectively, they are not the only people involved. Ms. Ruppert’s book discusses the book from a completely different perspective: that of the parent. In that respect, it is an important addition to the literature.

Second, this book provides some perspective on issues that confront bipolar parents specifically. For instance, their trouble getting a proper diagnosis, especially in the face of the conviction of many that pediatric bipolar disorder was simply impossible, is something that many parents of bipolar youth face. In addition, while someone who has bipolar disorder can seek treatment, someone who is only a family member has no right to compel them in most cases. This introduces a kind of powerlessness that otherwise will never get discussed.

This book, then, is a worthwhile addition to the literature, and worth a read in itself.

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3. Pete Earley Discusses His Book “Crazy”
4. The Heroism of Everyday Life with Bipolar Disorder
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