Best Bipolar Disorder Books of 2026

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook is a practical guide for learning mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. It offers evidence-based exercises for building skills in these four key areas, making them accessible to both mental health professionals and general readers. The fully revised and updated second edition includes new chapters on cognitive rehearsal, distress tolerance, and self-compassion. Overall, this book provides a clear and effective approach to learning DBT skills that can greatly improve one's ability to handle distress without losing control. It is a valuable resource for anyone seeking real and lasting change.

The third edition of Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul Mason and Randi Kreger is a self-help classic that has already helped over a million people understand borderline personality disorder (BPD). This revised edition includes new research on comorbidity and coping skills to help readers stabilize their relationship with someone who has BPD or narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). The book offers compassionate guidance to help readers make sense of the chaos, assert their needs, and protect themselves and others from violent behavior. This book is a must-read for anyone whose family has been affected by BPD.

Get ready to take a different perspective on your problems and your life―and the way you live it. . Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a new, scientifically based psychotherapy that takes a fresh look at why we suffer and even what it means to be mentally healthy. What if pain were a normal, unavoidable part of the human condition, but avoiding or trying to control painful experience were the cause of suffering and long-term problems that can devastate your quality of life? The ACT process hinges on this distinction between pain and suffering. As you work through this book, you’ll learn to let go of your struggle against pain, assess your values, and then commit to acting in ways that further those values.ACT is not about fighting your pain; it’s about developing a willingness to embrace every experience life has to offer. It’s not about resisting your emotions; it’s about feeling them completely and yet not turning your choices over to them. ACT offers you a path out of suffering by helping you choose to live your life based on what matters to you most. If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or problem anger, this book can help―clinical trials suggest that ACT is very effective for a whole range of psychological problems. But this is more than a self-help book for a specific complaint―it is a revolutionary approach to living a richer and more rewarding life.Learn why the very nature of human language can cause sufferingEscape the trap of avoidanceFoster willingness to accept painful experiencePractice mindfulness skills to achieve presence in the momentDiscover the things you really value mostCommit to living a vital, meaningful lifeThis book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit ― an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

The best-selling book on the topic—now in 15 languages. This practical guide to understanding the cranial nerves as the key to our psychological and physical well-being builds on Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory—one of the most important recent developments in human neurobiology. Drawing on more than thirty years of experience as a craniosacral therapist and Rolfer, Stanley Rosenberg explores the crucial role that the vagus nerve plays in determining our psychological and emotional states and explains that a myriad of common psychological and physical symptoms—from anxiety and depression to migraines and back pain—indicates a lack of proper functioning in the vagus nerve. Through a series of easy self-help exercises, the book illustrates the simple ways we can regulate the vagus nerve in order to initiate deep relaxation, improve sleep, and recover from injury and trauma. Additionally, by exploring the link between a well-regulated vagus nerve and social functioning, Rosenberg’s findings and methods offer new hope that by improving social behavior it is possible to alleviate some of the symptoms at the core of many cases of autism spectrum disorders. Useful for psychotherapists, doctors, bodyworkers, and caregivers, as well as anyone who experiences the symptoms of chronic stress and depression, this book shows how we can optimize autonomic functioning in ourselves and others, and bring the body into the state of safety that activates its innate capacity to heal.

The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know is an essential guide for anyone living with bipolar disorder or supporting a loved one with the condition. Dr. David J. Miklowitz provides science-based information and proven strategies for managing the illness, reducing recurrences, and making lifestyle changes to stay well. The third edition includes updated facts on medications and therapy, a new chapter on kids and teens, and expanded coverage of the bipolar II subtype. This practical, straightforward book is highly recommended for those seeking a better understanding of bipolar disorder and effective coping strategies.

An Unquiet Mind is a memoir by Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychiatrist with bipolar disorder. In this book, she shares her personal experiences with the illness, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication. Jamison's ability to live fully within her limitations is an inspiration to her fellow mortals, whatever our particular burdens may be. With breathtaking honesty, she tells of her own manic depression, the bitter costs of her illness, and its paradoxical benefits. This is one of the best scientific autobiographies ever written, a combination of clarity, truth, and insight into human character.

Sure, I'll Join Your Cult is a memoir by Maria Bamford, a stand-up comedian who has fought to find a place where she belongs. In this brutally honest and hilarious book, Bamford recounts her experiences with mental health issues, medical debt, and psychiatric institutionalization. She shares her journey through various anonymous fellowships she has joined, including Debtors Anonymous and Overeaters Anonymous. Bamford's writing is both sincere and transparent, transforming isolating experiences into comedy that will make you feel less alone. This book is a unique and inspiring read for anyone struggling with mental health issues and the quest to belong.

If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chances are that your persistent obsessive thoughts and time-consuming compulsions keep you from enjoying life to the fullest. But when you are in the habit of avoiding the things you fear, the idea of facing them head-on can feel frightening and overwhelming. This book can help.The OCD Workbook has helped thousands of people with OCD break the bonds of troubling OCD symptoms and regain the hope of a productive life. Endorsed and used in hospitals and clinics the world over, this valuable resource is now fully revised and updated with the latest evidence-based approaches to understanding and managing OCD. It offers day-to-day coping strategies you can start using right away, along with proven-effective self-help techniques that can help you maintain your progress. The book also includes information for family members seeking to understand and support loved ones who suffer from this often baffling and frustrating disorder. Whether you suffer with OCD or a related disorder, such as body dysmorphic disorder or trichotillomania, let this new edition of The OCD Workbook be your guide on the path to recovery.. This new edition will help you: use self-assessment tools to identify your symptoms and their severity; create and implement a recovery strategy using cognitive behavioral self-help tools and techniques; learn about the most effective medications and medical treatments; find the right professional help and access needed support for your recovery; and maintain your progress and prevent future relapse.This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.