From the moment I started reading Bipolarized, I was hooked. The book chronicles the torment, anguish, hope, optimism, and resiliency of the author as she mothers her son through the onset and full spectrum of bipolarity. Readers can’t help but cheerlead on both mother and son as together they traverse teenage years and beyond in an unfolding saga of managing the unmanageable. A must-read for every parent raising a child who is bipolar.

For many people, parenting is the deepest and most rewarding dimension of their lives. Yet even in the least troubled cases it is not easy. The difficulties grow torturously magnified when the child is bipolar. Lori Long’s Bipolarized shows vividly the agonizing, seemingly endless, steps forward and sideways and heartbreaking slips backward of parents and children traveling this path. All parents will find it absorbing. Parents of bipolar children will find a kindred spirit shining back on them a beacon of understanding and self-recognition.

I am delighted to have an opportunity to write a review of Lori Long’s outstanding book, Bipolarized.

I am a retired medical professional having worked as a registered nurse and a counselor. I saw firsthand the heartaches of the families who did not understand their child’s behavior and they were struggling to care for their child without proper diagnosis and a treatment plan.

In Lori’s book Bipolarized, she tells stories of the challenges that she had in raising her bipolar child.

Lori’s book Bipolarized not only teaches the signs and symptoms of this condition, but it also provides information on how to get the proper professional help.

With her powerful story of being “Bipolarized”, Lori Long shares a first-hand account of two people struggling to survive the ravages of mental illness. Her son’s mental illness takes them both along a journey of pain, frustration, and eventually hope. This book is a tell all of the poignant accounts of the chaos and challenge she must work through with her son. Through all these trials she is shaped into a skilled “firefighter”, professional survivor, and masterful therapist helping others.

The book takes us from setback to setback, from disappointment to disappointment. It’s like taking a whitewater rafting trip barreling down through raging waters with no end in sight. Yet Lori stands tall and is a beacon of hope and possibility for both her son and her clients through all these trials. She shows us how we can “dance in the rain” and thrive in the midst of the tempest. This is a story of how many of us can go through the gates of hell to find our heaven on earth.

Because I am Lori’s aunt and one of her editors, I must tell you I am prejudiced about her book. I knew nothing about Bipolar Disorder when I began, and now I know more than I ever needed to know. I always felt compassion for her son, but after working on the book I understand the disruptive series of events it created for his mother. Lori managed her counseling business all the while dealing with her son’s disorder.

She managed writing the book while having to re-live all the heart-wrenching events that she had already experienced. I have nothing but appreciation for her efforts on behalf of the readers who follow, and who will relate to this story. If you are one of those, I hope you will see that it’s possible to get through it, and as medicine improves perhaps there will be an easier way to cope with it. Read this book. It may be your story as well.

An intensely interesting book about bipolar disorder that everyone should read. If you are related to a bipolar person, you will know you are not alone and have not failed your loved one. For others, it reads like a mystery. What happens next and why.        

The author of this true story is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. The last pages are comprised of what symptoms to look for, which medications can be helpful and where to seek out information.

Highly recommend.

Lori’s book was amazing. I couldn’t put it down. Her writing style is very intriguing as well as captivating. I highly recommend reading this book.

Parenting, unlike many other life experiences, does not have ready-made solutions at our fingertips on an internet search. For many, we feel alone, frustrated, and bewildered with the inexplicable behavior of our children. Bipolar disorder masks itself in unique and complicated forms. The disorder not only affects the individual afflicted but impacts the family in ways which are sometimes difficult to verbalize and accept.

The book “Bipolarized ” offers a realistic and heartfelt journey of one family’s experience with bipolar disorder. I enthusiastically recommend the book to anyone who struggles with a family member, relative, or friend challenged with this disease. It will provide comfort, solutions and a true perspective on this often-misdiagnosed disorder.

Bipolarized by Lori Long, was filled with experiences of struggle.
and victory. I found it helpful as my son also struggles with mental health with emotional issues, too! 

I felt connected as things unfolded. for Riley. Lori received strength and wisdom from her father. Her work demonstrates all three generations can become three cord strands not easily broken!  Team effort is unbeatable and is victorious!  

Blessings always,

Lori Long has written a poignant and personal account of bipolar disorder. You can’t help but be drawn into the emotional rollercoaster of life living with this disease. If you have personal experience of it you are left with a feeling of not being alone and if you do not you leave with a much better understanding of how it can effect a person and their family. What an impactful way to bring awareness with such a personal account.

Kudos to Ms. Long and I look forward to reading her future works.