“Did marriage cure my bipolar disorder?”

I just spoiled the ending. But that’s because of what came before the beginning: the claim in the blurb – “The Bipolar Therapist is the only memoir that shows a complete recovery from bipolar disorder.” This is quite a claim. Because it’s not possible to recover from bipolar disorder.
When I got diagnosed with bipolar in 2012, on my 35th birthday, the first thing I tried to do was free the planet from my existence. I was put on a sedative before my long, long trip through the mental health system commenced. In the meantime, I have read everything I could get my hands on, written a short booklet for newly diagnosed patients, moderated a forum for people with bipolar disorder, and spoken to too many doctors to count.

Psychiatry is in still in its Stone Age. Diagnoses overlap. I wasn’t diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, because I got 4 out of 9 points, rather than 5, in the test. My psychiatrist didn’t laugh when I pretended to be sad about failing it. (Psychiatrists are really bad with jokes. They write them down, though, probably to look them up later and pass as their own.) It took eight years to find a ‘cocktail’ of meds that stabilised me. And another four to find that I have been most probably misdiagnosed, and the reason why the combos of meds (including lithium) have never actually made me better was that I didn’t need them.

This doesn’t mean I was cured from bipolar disorder.

•

At the end, Berger thanks her editor, Mary Neighbour of MediaNeighbours. I didn’t need to look the company up, did anyway, I was right. MediaNeighbours offers ‘author services’ – in this case, either the editor or the author did not do a good job. Authors often reject editors’ suggestions and I have no way to tell what happened here. But The Bipolar Therapist is all over the place. It doesn’t have the manic urgency of Marya Hornbacher’s memoirs, or the purposeful messiness of Jenny Lawson’s or Manic by Terri Cheney. It feels as if the author kept writing, getting distracted every now and then, until she felt there was enough.

There is no particular theme running through the book. I mean, sure, there is the bipolar disorder getting regular mentions, but having finished the book I don’t feel like I have learned much about bipolar or the author herself. Her mother insists repeatedly “you will write my memoirs” and occasional chapters are exactly that. Here’s why I feel the editor and the author did not collaborate well – there is no rhyme or reason as to what follows what, why, and when.

Some major events from the author’s life are weirdly glossed over in the book. She gets fired by an agency she works for. “The novelty of earning a living as an enterpreneur was still fresh […] small triumphs in gaining corporate accounts, developing marketing solutions for my clients, and networking” hits completely out of the blue two chapters further. Running a company with corporate clients is an amazing achievement for a person with undermedicated bipolar disorder. Because, while she thanks her doctor for allowing her to use dosage of lithium too low to reach therapeutic levels… her intake of lithium doesn’t reach therapeutic levels. This might be either the author’s brain chemistry responding in an incredibly unusual way, or placebo effect. (Berger mentions sudden worsening of her symptoms when she changed her diet to salt-free, and that she failed to notice, during a conference she had attended, a mention of how salt increases the potency of lithium. And yet, despite having missed the remark, she can quote it. As it happens, decreasing salt intake leads to higher levels of lithium in the bloodstream.)

•

The author’s first episode of what sounds like sudden dysphoric mania episode takes place in 1974. Fifty years ago. The last – in the 1980s. I am not a psychiatrist. Nevertheless, psychiatry’s holy book is currently DSM-V (2013). In 1974, DSM-II still listed homosexuality as a mental disorder (until, in the seventh printing, it was reclassified as “sexual orientation disturbance.”) The author’s actual work as a therapist ceases between 1979-1982 – another of those events that are not quite dated – so the title, The Bipolar Therapist, while not false advertising, only covers half of the book, or less, if the flashbacks to the author’s mother’s and grandmother’s memories/memoirs are discounted.

The way Berger is treated by her colleagues, ‘professionals,’ while she is still in practice, is, to put it mildly, absolutely horrible. After a hospital stay, she is suddenly an object to be touched inappropriately, guilty of others’ misconduct, gaslit, and finally ‘let go’ by the agency she was working for. Men in her life are, if anything, shockingly understanding – there was no bipolar disorder back then, but ‘manic-depressive illness,’ which sounds as attractive as… well. As ‘manic-depressive illness’ can sound. The fear of being outed – ‘exposed’ as Berger puts it – still exists today. Psychiatry has moved on, people pretend to have moved on, but really, Dr Kay Jamison-Redfield aside, how many therapists open about their bipolar disorder have been met with full understanding and respect?

This is the strongest part of the book – the flashback to not so long ago. The chapters that are – how do I put this? – excerpts from her mother’s and grandmother’s memoirs, or experiences, show women exhibiting traits that could be attributed to bipolar disorder today. A recent article in The Guardian suggests that borderline personality disorder, therapists’ least favourite diagnosis (even the best therapist I personally worked with told me “borderlines are the worst, you think you’re getting somewhere, and then it’s like a rubber snaps and you’re back where you began”) is overdiagnosed in women, most probably actually being complex PTSD. By recent, I mean spring 2024. (I am typing this in spring 2024.)

•

I always try to recommend a book to its intended audience. The trouble is, I don’t know who the audience is in case of The Bipolar Therapist. I am extremely upset, and I can’t emphasise this enough, by the assertion that Berger has made “a complete recovery from bipolar disorder.” The Jewish faith, which isn’t really visible in the first half of the book, enters it midway through, and the second half is increasingly devoted to Judaism, rabbis, practices, etc. The author does NOT suggest that faith cures bipolar, and does clarify that her experience doesn’t mean an average patient can simply slash their lithium intake by a factor of three. As I mentioned, I am not a psychiatrist. I have, however, been on high dosage of lithium for months, and it wasn’t until one of the psychologists I was working with told me I should keep hydrated (i.e. lower the level of actual salt in my bloodstream) even if I don’t feel thirsty that my digestive problems disappeared.

Have I mentioned I am not a psychiatrist? Once I find a special interest, and bipolar is one of mine, I become a researcher, problem-solver, and a perfectionist. I have spoken, online and in person, with at least a hundred people with bipolar diagnoses, medicated or not, in remission or not; I have read all the resources, including academic, I could get my hands on; I have spoken with any mental health professional I could grab into my paws. Because I was completely determined to prove them all wrong; I wanted to become that first person to make a complete recovery from bipolar disorder. In a plot twist, it turned out that I most probably don’t have bipolar disorder to recover from. I am on my way, hopefully, to complete recovery from a misdiagnosis.

I think (have I mentioned I am not…?) that The Bipolar Therapist actually documents Berger’s recovery from being deeply unhappy, stressed out, and traumatised for VERY clear reasons, to only mention the incredibly toxic work environment to becoming a married entrepreneur. Perhaps – weirder things happened – Marcia Naomi Berger actually is that first person ever to have made complete recovery from actual bipolar disorder with the only medication being an inadequately low dose of lithium taken for a relatively short period. The book comes with endorsements from people whose names are followed by words such as ‘professor emeritus’ or ‘PhD.’ My degree is in maths.

•

As I have said, reviewing and rating memoirs is extremely difficult. I am not criticising the author’s life’s interestingness, quality of her experiences, etc. I am deeply sorry for many things she has gone through, and I wish I could say “luckily, this would never happen today.” (It would and does.) But I am also sorry to say that while on the personal level this book must have been incredibly important for Berger, as a reader who got the book from NetGalley I found it confusing because of the time jumps, poorly edited, unclear about its own theme, and both the title and the claim about having made “full recovery from bipolar disorder” make me incredibly uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I expected a hack peddling online sessions, and got a moving story of a real person who has gone through extremely painful experiences before I was even born.

I admire Berger’s strength, resilience, and openness. I admire her for having written this book, and her happy ending made me happy, too. I can’t emphasise this enough: I am not rating the person or her life. I’m rating a book that has been released to worldwide audience, a title and a blurb making some very bold declarations, and the quality of the final result I have read.

I received a free copy of the book via NetGalley. This did not influence my review.

A memoir of her life as a psychotherapist. The story was very interesting to me. I’m also bipolar and an alcoholic. I learned a lot about me, Good read!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have to read this book again. It really messed with me. Despite being a work of fiction, it is frighteningly realistic and I saw things in this main character that are too close to home. There are no words to describe how it made me feel, only by reading will you understand the magnitude of this book.

The Bipolar Therapist is a great portrait of a first person account of mania and psychosis and is reminiscent of The Center Cannot Hold I loved how Marcia Berger wrote and expressed how her thoughts sounded and felt while experiencing symptoms of psychosis. This book really helps to break down the stigma about severe and persistent mental illness.

Marcia's description of mania is spot on. If you have bipolar, you will find similarities in her account. If you are wanting to understand bipolar mania, you can be confident in what she is describing. Also so real is the stigma Marcia faced, even abuse, when colleagues found out she'd needed treatment. She constructs a good picture of what her life has been like, and the struggle of keeping her condition a secret.

In the face of unexpected manic episodes leading to hospitalization, how does an esteemed psychotherapist manage? Affirming her identity and embracing fresh perspectives, Berger confronts barriers of shame and societal judgment. Supported by a circle of loyal friends and mentors, she navigates trials involving toxic professional relationships, complicated romantic entanglements, family estrangement, and existential uncertainties.

"The Bipolar Therapist" stands out as a rare testimony of a full recovery from bipolar disorder, detailing how the author’s encounters as a psychiatric patient catalyzed her therapeutic work among psychiatric and substance abuse inpatients. Berger’s narrative underscores themes of resilience, perseverance, determination, and valor.

Berger’s story, chronicled in "The Bipolar Therapist," presents a poignant journey of triumph over bipolar disorder, urging readers to embrace hope amid perplexing symptoms. Her narrative, meticulously crafted to evoke deep emotions, resonates with authenticity, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of mental health challenges.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an educational read for me. It was helpful in identifying character traits in the diagnosis. Its not something I would typically be interested in, but it was enlightening.

I was riveted by Berger’s moving, honest journey as one faced with bipolar illness. As one who has faced similar challenges, her experiences are both haunting and hopeful in that she overcomes the worst of her condition and triumphs in the face of incredible adversity.

A must read for not only those personally impacted by mental illness, but by caregivers, loved ones, or anyone wanted to grasp knowledge of this disease.

I found the stream of consciousness writing style in 'The Bipolar Therapist' to be quite engaging. The narrative's immersive first-person view during Marcia's manic episode brought about a steep change of pace that took me on an emotional rollercoaster, heart pounding and mind racing.
One aspect I particularly appreciated was the opportunity to delve into Marcia's mind and emotions. However, I couldn't help but wonder if readers unfamiliar with neuroatypical experiences might struggle to fully grasp the narrative's depth. While the book succeeded in allowing me inside her head, I felt that more descriptive passages could have provided additional context and understanding, especially for those seeking education rather than just immersion.

This was a powerful read. It was very descriptive and truly gave the reader an authentic firsthand account of what it is like for one to experience a manic episode. I felt like I was right there with Marcia as she shared her family history, her childhood, and her search for self understanding.
It was beautiful to see her accept that she would may never have all of the answers as to why things happened to her as they did but the fact that she was able to put down the shame and find true happiness was priceless and I believe worth the journey.

4/5 Stars!!!

Marcia Naomi Berger did a wonderful job detailing the experiences of working in the field of psychology as someone who has a mental health disorder. This memoir was powerful and inspiring as someone who suffers from mental health disorders trying to navigate their 20s and find a suitable career. By sharing her stories and experiences Berger helps decrease the stigma that surrounds mental health, but unlike other books - she does it in a way that keeps the reader engaged through humor and excitement.

Outside of academic life, I have read very few memoirs - as I have found them to be redundant and boring; however, that is not the case with this memoir. There were times when she was describing things that I was just giggling away in my chair because she was that funny.

I suggest anyone interested in the field of psychology or mental health to check this book out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Memoirs written by people who have mental illnesses are always tough to read. The parts where the author talks about her manic episodes were hard to read because it's so scary to be out of control of your mind. Marcia writes with such bravery and honesty. I'm so glad she wrote this book. One more step in destigmatizing mental illness.

This memoir by Marcia Naomi Berger was nothing like I expected it to be. IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER. I tend to be hesitant with memoirs, because they don’t tend to draw my interest other than the conclusion up to where their life is at the end of the book, but from beginning to end, I felt like I NEEDED to know more about Marcia. To hear personalized history of how handling mental health, especially bipolar, compared to the practices now, was so beautifully worded. As someone with Bipolar ii I often spend time wondering what life would have been like if I didn’t have the resources before. This book is beautifully written, and feels like a best friend is sitting and telling you a story. Couldn’t recommend enough.