Exceptional Children: Mood

Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between “crazy” and “creative” in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.   Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity. Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to “cure” an otherwise brilliant mind. Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney’s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist’s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose. .

Anxiety can make everything seem unmanageable - from dealing with family and friends to managing schoolwork and extracurricular activities. It's been estimated that between nine and 15 million teens in the United States suffer from phobias, panic attacks, or extreme worry or anxiety. That's a lot of teens! ""My Anxious Mind"" helps teens take control of their anxious feelings by providing cognitive - behavioral strategies to tackle anxiety head-on and to feel more confident and empowered in the process. ""My Anxious Mind"" also offers ways for teens with anxiety to improve their inter-personal skills, whether it be with friends, family, or teachers; manage stress; handle panic attacks; use diet and exercise appropriately; and decide whether medication is right for them.

Uses a question-and-answer format to address the concerns many parents have about treating their child's bipolar disorder, explaining confusing medical terms and providing easy-to-understand information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and parenting strategies.

Helping teens deal with depression. "Once you've been through it and you're able to get out of it, then you can handle pretty much anything." - Caroline, age 19 Written to be read by teens themselves, My Kind of Sad lays out the facts on moodiness, depression, and the stresses of teenaged life. From the factors affecting how kids feel to the signs of serious depression, the book explores youth-specific mental health issues and offers teens expert advice on how to find help for themselves or help a friend in need. To help kids differentiate between general worries and something more serious, the topics include: reactive depression (a mood) vs. clinical depression (a mood disorder) bipolar disorder anxiety disorders (panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder) disordered eating (how food affects mood) vs. eating disorders (diseases that can kill) self-mutilation (cutting) suicide and warning signs treatment options Along with constructive guidance from professionals and stats from the latest studies, the book shares thoughts and feelings from teens who have experienced different forms of depression. Complete with pages of resources to help learn more, My Kind of Sad is a valuable ally in the battle against hopelessness.

Written by two clinical psychologists, this manual shows you how to improve your life using cognitive therapy - one of the most effective and widely practiced forms of psychotherapy. Step-by-step worksheets teach you specific skills that have helped thousands of people conquer depression, panic attacks, anxiety, anger, quilt, shame, low self-esteem, eating disorders, substance abuse, and relationship problems.