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Dedication
Permissions
Author's Notes
Introduction |
V
VI
VII
XIII |
| Part 1 - Childhood: Ongoing Family Strife and Sexual Abuse |
1 |
| 1: |
Surviving in a Dysfunctional Family |
3 |
| 2: |
Coping with Sexual Abuse |
18 |
| 3: |
An Emotional Orphan on the Battlefield of Key Relationships |
27 |
| 4: |
The Beginnings of an Eating Disorder |
38 |
| 5: |
How a Dysfunctional Family Communicates |
40 |
| 6: |
Good and Bad Spiritual Influences |
43 |
| 7: |
Dire Predictions |
45 |
| Part 2 - Finding Guidance in Education, Career and Marriage Decisions |
51 |
| 8: |
Bulimia Begins |
53 |
| 9: |
Guidance Issues |
62 |
| 10: |
A Spiritual Awakening |
67 |
| Part 3 - Job Happiness, Stresses and Horrors |
81 |
| 11: |
Church Opportunities and Issues |
83 |
| 12: |
Alarming Problems Facing Today's Clergy and Their Families |
87 |
| Part 4 - Depressions, Near-Suicides and Hospitalizations |
97 |
| 13: |
Events that Trigger a Life-threatening Depression |
99 |
| 14: |
Life in a Psychiatric Unit: Sometimes Awful, Sometimes Fun |
109 |
| 15: |
Serious Insurance Conflicts and a Near Disaster |
119 |
| 16: |
More Important Facts about Bipolar Disorder |
122 |
| Part 5 - Depressions, Near-Suicides and Hospitalizations |
129 |
| 17: |
Facing Losses |
131 |
| 18: |
Problems Adjusting to Work |
137 |
| 19: |
Finding Understanding Friends |
140 |
| 20: |
Stigma's Distressing Effects |
143 |
| 21: |
Family Struggles with Pain and Loss Due to Mental Illness |
145 |
| 22: |
More Stigma: Toxic Church Members and Clergy |
149 |
| 23: |
Recurring Depressions and the "Treatment-resistant" Patient |
155 |
| 24: |
Searching for the "Whys" of Mental Illness |
159 |
| 25: |
The Value of Humor |
165 |
| 26: |
Taking Responsibility for Recovering; The Role of Faith |
167 |
| 27: |
The Benefits of Professional Counseling |
170 |
| 28: |
The Rewards of Marriage Therapy |
176 |
| 29: |
Living Between the Worlds of Mania and Depression |
179 |
| 30: |
Self-Education: More Than Half the Battle |
183 |
| 31: |
Life-saving Discoveries about Medications and Recovery |
188 |
| 32: |
A Support Group Makes All the Difference |
200 |
| 33: |
The Potential Risks of Work: Hours, Pace and Deadlines |
201 |
| 34: |
The Forgiveness Process: Finding How to Let Go of Resentment |
203 |
| 35: |
Applying the Serenity Prayer and AA's Twelve Steps for Rejuvenating Relationships |
209 |
| Part 6 - The Promise of Recovery: Moving onto the Offense |
211 |
| 36: |
Breaking Free from Needing the Approval of Others |
213 |
| 37: |
"God Things" That Can Keep You Going |
215 |
| Part 7 - Self-Care: Practical Strategies, Techniques & Tips for Rebuilding |
217 |
| 38: |
The Perils of Sleep Deprivation |
219 |
| 39: |
Reentering Spiritual Kindergarten to Find Help with Attitudes, Habits & Relationships |
227 |
| 40: |
The Risks of Good Stress, Bad Stress, and a Lack of Routine |
228 |
| 41: |
The Medical-Biological Model for Treating Mental Illness |
231 |
| 42: |
New Freedom, New Strength from Honest, Supportive Relationships |
236 |
| 43: |
A Basic Coping Strategy that Works |
239 |
| 44: |
Overcoming Resentment and Self-pity |
243 |
| 45: |
Crisis of Meaning Can Lead to a New Role in Life, Hope for the Mentally Ill |
248 |
| Epilogue |
258 |
| Acknowledgements |
259 |
| Appendix A: |
Strategies, Techniques, Tips and Tools for Those Living with Bipolar Disorder and Depression |
263 |
| Appendix B: |
Simple Ways You Can Give Help and Hope to a Mentally Ill Person or His Family |
269 |
| Appendix C: |
Practical Things Your Faith Community Can Do to Help the Mentally Ill and Their Families |
272 |
| Appendix D: |
Support, Information and Advocacy Organizations |
275 |
| Notes |
280 |
| About the Author |
289 |
| Order Form |
290 |
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