I have always believed in this statement :

Knowledge is your best weapon.

As a person who works in a school system for a job, I can assure John, that this book will get into the hands of teachers. Teachers often are at a loss on how to "handle" students with any spectrum of mental illness.

There are literally walls of books in the classroom I work in, and there are few, if any, that are there to consult information from regarding mental illness.

Good luck.

If I read that book, I'd probably end up ripping it up like I do all the other psychiatric books I read. No offense to anyone, but I usually want to kill myself after I'm done reading a book that deals with mental health. Sometimes I feel that way, even by reading this site. It makes me cry.

Hi, Philip. Many many thanks. Yep, it's spooky how we seem to channel each other. Same thing happens with Liz Spikol's blog - twice the two of us wrote about the same thing on the same day with just about the same take.

Hi, Stephany. I really appreciate your comments. I'd love to have educators read this book. I still vividly recall how I was horribly misunderstood in school, so if just one kid doesn't have to go through what I did then I will be very happy. Please feel free to offer me advice on how to reach your colleagues, as this is a real mission to me.

gwen, if something upsets you on a consistent basis, then you should not read it anymore. you have to have self knowledge and know what your triggers are--that's one the themes of john's book--and that's something you've got to be honest about with yourself....and stop playing into it.

Hi, Gwen. Philip is right. Definitely don't read my book. Living well is all about not doing things that may cause personal distress and trigger an episode. Best to treat the book as if it's radioactive. Believe me, I understand.

Hi John and Philip,

Wow, thanks so much for you concern and support. That means a lot to me. About your book, John, I think it's an awesome thing to have written -- with the crummy state of affairs the mental health world is currently in, I think you're doing a TREMENDOUS serivce to society. I really think that your compassion and leadership is OUTSTANDING. Anyone who tries to help people who are suffering is a remarkable individual, and especially someone who takes the time and energy to write and publish a full fledged book -- that's really something (not to mention talent!). You are amazing. And same for sure goes to Philip with his site, and with his Weekly work, which I've told him many times. Both of you are incredible: I want to be just like you.

As for me, I get distrubed really easily when stuff starts to remind me of my own hospital and general psychiatric expiriences... so yeah, I guess it's good for me to stay away from that kind of thing. My doctor says I have a lot of PTSD regarding all that.

But, John, I want to thank you so much for all the work you've done to make this world a better place for those suffering from mental illness. You are a gift.

Best wishes,
Gwen

Hi, Gwen. Many thanks. Your very kind remarks mean a lot to me.

Hi John,

The best way to get your book into the hands of educators, is to talk to all of the parents of the early onset bp parents you have (I'm pretty sure) met or spoken with via email.
Get the book to them, and they place it into the Principal's hands.

Some classrooms have libraries of books, like I am fortunate to work in, yet those are the teacher's personal collection.

Most all high school librarians also special order books such as yours to add to the check-out list for teachers.

The largest, un-tapped group of educators, are in fact elementary and junior high school teachers. This is where a lot of kids have problems, and are either medicated for wrong reasons, or, have not been properly dx.

My daughter suffered from 6th grade right through high school, which she is attending beyond her Graduation year....I often took the Bipolar Child book to my IEP meetings and placed it open, standing up for display and many teachers borrowed my copy.

They are so desperate for information, and I believe that what we know helps adults, we can use to help the youngest of all: early onset bp'ers.

I look forward to the read.

I will do what I can in my District in Washington state. It covers 110 sq miles, so youre good to go to check that off. :)

Good luck!

Gwen,
I just wanted to add: your comments here are always insightful, and I enjoy reading them. I appreciate your honesty, and fresh perspective.

On the note of reading things (or anything else for that matter) that upset you...

As Philip stated, it is important to be honest with yourself; basically we all have limits, and one key factor to our stability, is to be tuned in to ourselves enough to know the personal limits we have.

I have actually limited my time on the computer to push this idea forward with myself. Sometimes, I really think we can read too much about mental illness, with good intentions to help ourselves, but also need to take breaks for our minds and not do that.
I hope I made sense.

Take care,
Stephany

Thanks, Stephany!

Gwen