Online Guides

The Mood Spectrum

1 in 3 people with depression fall in the middle of the mood spectrum (aka bipolar spectrum). Learn what that means and how to treat it.

Antidepressants in Bipolar

Learn whether they work, when they make things worse, and how to come off them

Genes, Stress, and the Brain

How genes interact with stress to shape the brain

The Bipolar Brain

Mechanisms and causes of bipolar and depression

Recent Articles

• Manic Episodes: How to Prevent Them and How to Help
  by Flavio Guzman, M.D.
  This guide provides useful strategies to prevent manic episodes. It suggests maintaining a daily routine, avoiding triggers, following prescribed medication plans, and practicing self-care. The guide also recommends creating a safety plan to prepare for potential manic episodes.… Read more: Manic Episodes: How to Prevent Them and How to Help
• A Guide to Mania: Recognizing A Manic Episode
  by Flavio Guzman, M.D.
  The article explores mania, a syndrome marked by extreme energy and varying emotions, commonly seen in bipolar I disorder. It simplifies the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and offers fictional case studies of ‘Jack’ and ‘Jessica’ to demonstrate the disruptive… Read more: A Guide to Mania: Recognizing A Manic Episode
• New Medications Approved in 2023: Alzheimer’s Disease, Depression, Anxiety and Schizophrenia
  by Flavio Guzman, M.D.
  This article delves into the specifics of new treatment options for these conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, depression, postpartum depression, generalized anxiety disorder in children, and schizophrenia. Lecanemab emerges as a significant development in slowing the progression of early-stage Alzheimer’s… Read more: New Medications Approved in 2023: Alzheimer’s Disease, Depression, Anxiety and Schizophrenia
• Hyperthymia: Sara Schley and General Gregg Martin’s Experiences
  by Jim Phelps, M.D.
  Hyperthymia is a mood state. It is not mania. Just a little “up”, all the time. On this graph of mood, the black dotted line is where most people live, most of the time. The red line ups… Read more: Hyperthymia: Sara Schley and General Gregg Martin’s Experiences
• How Hypomania Differs from Full-Blown Mania in Bipolar Disorder
  by Jim Phelps, M.D.
  Hypomania is not “a little mania”, as the name (literally) implies. It’s a completely different experience. What is hypomania in plain terms? Hypomania can be so subtle it just looks like “having a really good day”. Or it… Read more: How Hypomania Differs from Full-Blown Mania in Bipolar Disorder
• Mixed States: Definitions ; Antidepressant Implications
  by Jim Phelps, M.D.
  Depression combined with over-energized symptoms like anxiety, anger, agitation, and attention problems is called a mixed state. Treatment focuses on lowering the energy level while also easing the depression, using “mood stabilizers with antidepressant effects” (one of which… Read more: Mixed States: Definitions ; Antidepressant Implications
• The Subtle Signs of Mixed States in Mood Disorders
  by Jim Phelps, M.D.
  Have you ever felt that along with feeling down or depressed, you also experience other intense emotions and behaviors that seem out of character? Understanding mixed states: The 4 A’s Psychiatrists sometimes refer to mixed states as a… Read more: The Subtle Signs of Mixed States in Mood Disorders

Paper Books

Depression and Bipolar Workbook

30 lifestyle changes you can make that treat depression and stabilize bipolar.

A Spectrum Approach to Mood Disorders

A practical textbook for physicians, nurses, therapists, and those who want to understand the science behind the spectrum.

Bipolar, Not So Much

How the mood spectrum looks in real life, with detailed chapters on natural therapies, medications, and tips for friends and family.

Also available on audio.

Favorites

1. Diagnosis in the Mood Spectrum
2. Depression is not a Moral Weakness
3. Mixed States, Depression & Anxiety
4. Treatment Basics: The Middle of the Mood Spectrum
5. Antidepressants that aren’t “Antidepressants”
6. How to Choose a Mood Stabilizer
7. Dark Therapy for Sleep and Bipolar