The book is based on CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy, which i helpful for bipolar, depression and other similar problems.

I have a copy and have used it at various times for anxiety as well as depression & have found it to be helpful.

As suferchica has pointed out..CBT can be useful in dealing with many BP issues.

A sort of stop gap approach, if you are feeling like an episode is coming on, CBT can slow, or even bring certain types of minor episodes to a halt.

But one must keep in mind, Bipolar is an organic disorder...a biochemical imbalance of the brain.

So mood can often be over run with wacked chemical imbalances.
Nothing to be ashamed of , just a part of the disorder.

I use CBT, when I find myself having racing thoughts , it works well for me

If it's CBT then it is likely to be effective for anxiety which is generally a learned behaviour.

It is a simple techniques that makes those unconscious messages in your head conscious (I can't make a speech in public), finds the origin (I did it at school when I was 6 and everyone laughed at me), then looks for contrary evidence (but I did a sort of speech last year and that was ok) and gives you techniques for trying to safely test things etc.

However, as DD says bipolar is largely chemical and so the impact of CBT is largely confined to prevention of episodes and dealing with low level symptoms.

Think of full blown bipolar episode as being very very drunk. You cannot think yourself sober.

I think CBT can be helpful with the thoughts that tend to come with a bad mood or compound the bad mood, but not the mood itself. But then again it depends as are moods can be affected by stress and the thoughts that go with it.

I am still baffled by my moods. I sometimes just wake up really depressed and suffer through the whole day and then two days later I feel slightly euphoric for a couple of days. It is still a hard thing for me to accept.

I find for my mild bipolar that a combination of drugs and talking with a therapist work together to change your thinking and the way you look at things (therapy) and the meds work to balance you out physically. I find the two work best hand in hand.

So good to hear from all of you. I have a severe case of bipolar and was just diagnosed with pmdd and mild social anxiety disorder so every little bit helps.