Product Description

Young people with bipolar disorder and adults who grew up with the condition speak out to share how they experienced the symptoms of this illness during their youth, and how it affected their functioning in school, at home and with friends. Their insightful comments, woven together by the author, form a stunning picture of the young person's internal experience. The reader will come away with a new understanding of these young people and a renewed commitment to make a difference by reaching out to help.

"Tracy Anglada has broken new ground with Intense Minds. While most books speak about the children and their feelings, hers is the first to capture the children articulating what they truly feel themselves: their impossible levels of frustration and irritability, their episodes of emptiness or manic energy, their severe difficulties in the academic environment, and their dread of night time due to their propensity to suffer horrific images and scenarios while sleeping.

"One comes away with such admiration for these children and adolescents for soldiering on despite these terrible burdens, and for the author who took the time to listen and put their words to paper. Parents, clinicians and educators must read this first-of-its-kind book."

Demitri F. Papolos, M.D. and Janice Papolos
Authors of The Bipolar Child

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #242644 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 172 pages

About the Author
Tracy (Dunham) Anglada was born and raised in Illinois. She graduated with honors from Hillsboro High School. Her awards and recognition include: the Presidential Academic Fitness Award, the National Science Olympiad Award, and induction into the National Honor Society. After high school, she volunteered full time in a community service Bible educational work for three years. Later Tracy would study writing for a short time with the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her studies were halted after the birth of her son. It would be this child’s medical condition that prompted her to return to the field of literature. Tracy currently resides in Florida with her husband and four children. Her previous literary works include Brandon and the Bipolar Bear: A Story for Children with Bipolar Disorder, Turbo Max: A Story for Siblings of Children with Bipolar Disorder, The Student with Bipolar Disorder: An Educators Guide, Questions Kids Have About Pediatric Bipolar Disorder, and Pediatric Bipolar Disorder (DVD presentation). Tracy is a mental health advocate and President of BPChildren. She is a current member of the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the STARFISH Advocacy Association. Tracy can be contacted via her website, www.bpchildren.com.

Customer Reviews

A Must-Read
Parents of bipolar kids are among my favorite people. Despite the terrible illness that brings us together, I always manage to part company on a feel-good note. Maybe it's their love and dedication and intelligence and optimism in the face of circumstances that would leave anyone else embittered and demoralized. Maybe it's their sixth sense for projecting the kind of empathy that can't be faked.

One of these individuals is Tracy Anglada, whom I met last summer at a conference in Stockton, CA that featured Dr Papolos and Janice Papolos. I was there in a dual role as a reporter for this Newsletter and to work up a pre-publication buzz for my soon-to-be-released book. The organizers of the conference kindly allowed me a table to exhibit my wares. One of my fellow exhibitors was Tracy, and we found lots of time to talk.

Tracy is a Florida mom who started up her own organization, BPChildren, dedicated to helping young people and adults understand more about pediatric bipolar. She is the author of "Intense Minds: Through the Eyes of Young People with Bipolar Disorder."

One quick look at the opening paragraphs, and you will drop everything you're doing:

"A broad smile spread across my son's face. His eyes shone brightly and he turned to me to share his good news. What was the cause of excitement for my 6-year-old son? We were at a meeting, and the speaker was describing the horrible plight of the Biblical man Job.

"'Job was so sick, he wanted to die,' said the speaker.

"What was my son's good news in response to that statement? Two simple words: "Like me!" He had finally found someone he could relate to, someone else who wanted to die. It was comforting for him to know he was not alone. It was no comfort to me. As a parent, those were the worst words I could have heard."

This is a book where the kids (or adults recalling their tormented childhoods) get to tell their stories. It's designed for kids to read, but any clinician or educator or other interested party who does not buy a copy is guilty of malpractice. Listen:

"I was told how retarded, demonized and horrible a child I was. So I never felt I was wonderful or good." (Dawn)

"I was trying to survive in an environment that was not the same to me as it was to other people." (Tasha)

"It feels like a ping pong ball going from one side to the other in my head - one bounce telling me to stay quiet, the other bounce telling me to scream." (Tim)

"My dreams were scary. I was zipped in a bag of water in my closet drowning, while bad guys were trying to kill my daddy." (Steven)
In case you still think we're forcing meds on kids:

"I would have been better off being treated if I had been diagnosed properly. I was miserable as a child. Horribly miserable." (Lee)

And, last but not least, the good we can take away from all this:

"I use this illness to my advantage. Be strong and remember where you have been and what you have been through. If I beat those days, I can beat anything now that I know the illness, the symptoms and the feelings of it." (Linda)

A Helpful Perspective on Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder
I found this book to be valuable in that it helped me get a better perspective on what it feels like to the child/youth experiencing shifts in mood states over time. I had not seen another book like it, and was very interested in what kids themselves had to say about bi-polar disorder. Even as a parent of an EOBP child, after reading through this book I realized I had not fully considered how he processed his disorder internally - both prior to as well as post dx. The narratives represented here are in the kids own words, with brief summaries and segues between topics provided by the author. There is very little disorder overview or treatment commentary. The experiences cover a wide spectrum of experiences in this often misunderstood, misdiagnosed disorder. There is no uniform experience of bipolar disorder, despite overlapping symptomologies.

It is difficult enough to get an accurate diagnosis for a child/youth with bipolar disorder. Gaining greater insight into what the child thinks about their own cycling (because they are not likely telling you) is incredibly valuable. After reading this book I had a much better idea of what kids go through as well as what works/what doesn't as far as day-to-day management, and why. It definitely boosted my compassion quotient. I recommend this book to anyone who works with or parents a bi-polar child.

Must read book for every parent, educator, family member and friend of a child with pediatric bipolar disorder
This is a must read book for every parent, educator, family member and friend of a child with pediatric bipolar disorder in order to bring understanding, awareness and acceptance of the individual."
With attention to detail and Ms. Anglada's exceptional literary skill the reader who is not personally affected by bipolar disorder is able to walk a few steps in the shoes of another.
Thank you Ms. Anglada for providing me as a parent the opportunity to walk for a minute in my child's shoes!! Mother of a 15 year old child with bipolar disorder