Living with bipolar disorder means navigating a lot of information — some of it helpful, some of it wrong, and some of it hard to find when you need it most. This page collects the resources that have actually been useful to me, organized so you can find what you need quickly.

If you’re in crisis right now, skip to the Crisis Support section at the top. Everything else can wait.

— Liam Ronan

Crisis Support

If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

For mental health crises that aren’t immediately life-threatening:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat online. Free, confidential, 24/7. You don’t have to be suicidal to call — if you’re in a mental health crisis of any kind, this is the number.
• Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741. Free, confidential, 24/7. Useful if you can’t talk out loud.
• SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357. Free, confidential, 24/7. Treatment referrals and information in English and Spanish.
• NAMI HelpLine — 1-800-950-6264, Mon–Fri, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Not a crisis line, but excellent for navigation and next steps.

Support Groups

Peer support matters in bipolar disorder. Hearing from other people who live with the condition — not just clinicians talking about it — is often the difference between feeling alone and feeling like a member of a community.

• DBSA Online Support Groups — peer-led support groups hosted on the HeyPeers platform. Free, open nationwide, and meetings run daily.
• DBSA Chapter Network — find a local Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance chapter for in-person groups.
• NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups — free, peer-led groups offered through local NAMI chapters. Find your local NAMI.
• International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF) — resources and community for people with bipolar disorder and their families.

Books

• An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison — a clinical psychologist’s memoir of living with bipolar I disorder. Still the best book on what mania actually feels like from the inside. If you read one book on bipolar, read this one.
• Brain Energy by Christopher Palmer, MD — a Harvard psychiatrist’s case for metabolic dysfunction as a driver of mental illness. Controversial but worth engaging with.
• The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide by David J. Miklowitz — practical, evidence-based guidance for people with bipolar and their families. A good “what do I do now” book after a new diagnosis.
• Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me by Ellen Forney — a graphic memoir. Different medium, same honesty as An Unquiet Mind.
• Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder by Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston — the most frequently recommended book for partners and family members.

Podcasts

• The Science & Treatment of Bipolar Disorder (Huberman Lab Episode 82) — Andrew Huberman’s two-hour deep dive on the neuroscience of bipolar, mood regulation, lithium, ketamine, and emerging treatments. The best single episode I’ve found on the biology of the condition.
• Inside Bipolar — a Healthline/Psych Central podcast co-hosted by Gabe Howard, who lives with bipolar, and Dr. Nicole Washington, a board-certified psychiatrist. Accessible and direct.
• The Bipolar Diaries — hosted by Anastasia McLean from the UK, focused on stigma-reduction and lived experience with Bipolar II.

Apps

• Daylio — mood and habit tracker. Low friction. Good for identifying patterns over weeks and months.
• eMoods — built specifically for bipolar disorder tracking. Logs mood, sleep, medication, and symptoms, with exportable reports for your psychiatrist.
• Insight Timer — meditation app with a large free library. Useful for sleep and anxiety management.

Understanding Medication

Medication information online is often incomplete or alarmist. These are the more reliable sources:

• NAMI Mental Health Medications — plain-language overviews of mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and more.
• Mayo Clinic Drugs and Supplements — detailed, peer-reviewed information on specific medications including lithium, lamotrigine, and valproate.
• MedlinePlus — U.S. National Library of Medicine. Government-maintained drug database.

These are reference resources. They are not a substitute for a conversation with your psychiatrist or pharmacist about your specific medication.

Research and Advocacy Organizations

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) — the U.S. government’s mental health research arm. Source for current statistics and research.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — the largest grassroots mental health organization in the U.S.
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) — peer-focused, with strong educational materials.
• International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) — research-focused organization for clinicians and researchers. Their patient resources are underrated.
• Brain & Behavior Research Foundation — funds research on bipolar disorder and other conditions.

For Family and Caregivers

If someone you love has bipolar disorder, the information aimed at patients won’t answer your questions. These resources are specifically for you:

• NAMI Family-to-Family — a free 12-week education course for family caregivers of people living with mental illness. Available through most NAMI chapters.
• NAMI Family Support Group — peer-led groups specifically for family members and caregivers.
• DBSA Family & Friends Resources — written guides specifically for supporters of people with mood disorders.

What’s Missing from This Page?

This resources page will keep growing. If you know of a book, podcast, app, support group, or organization that belongs here, please send it to mania.insights@gmail.com and tell me why it matters.ou know of a book, podcast, app, support group, or organization that belongs here, please send it to mania.insights@gmail.com and tell me why it matters.

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