Author Name:
Robert G. Fawcett, MD
Book Title:
Calming the Bipolar Storm: A Guide for Patients and their Families
Link to book page on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Calming-Bipolar-Storm-Patients-Families/dp/1538145642/
Social Media Links:
What is your book about?
Bipolar Disorder. I discuss the symptoms and course of bipolar disorder in its various forms, the history of the concept of manic-depression and bipolar disorder, the underlying biology and genetics of bipolar disorder, and its treatment by both biological and psychological methods.
What inspired you to write your book?
I wanted to provide an up-to-date, readable book that would benefit patients with bipolar disorder, their family members, and others interested in learning about bipolar disorder.
If you have a business related to your book, tell us about it:
I was a full-time adult psychiatrist treating patients in inpatient and outpatient settings, both in a private practice and through community mental health. Now I am mostly retired, but I still do telehealth evaluations for the Disability Determination Service.
What is a typical day like for you?
I rise around 7 AM. I usually exercise, which ranges from a walk with the dog to bicycling, kayak fishing, or cross-country skiing depending on the season. I often spend time with my family, including my wife, daughters and their partners, and my five-year-old granddaughter. I often play music including guitar, harmonica, and sometimes piano. I am also part of a local ukulele group.
What do you most enjoy about what you do?
Right now, I enjoy music, including songwriting and performing and spending time with family.
What are some favorite books you’d recommend to our readers?
Lithium: A Doctor, a Drug, and a Breakthrough by Walter Brown, The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells, Most Delicious Poison by Noah Whiteman, and in fiction: Flags on the Bayou by James Lee Burke.
What advice do you have to offer our readers?
Check out bookstores and get recommendations from their staff. The internet does a poor job of promoting books of quality at times. Their algorithms are based on numbers of reviews which can be fudged. I once ordered a book on bipolar disorder that was prominently listed and accessed well before mine, only to find it had lots of incorrect facts and many errors in grammar and spelling—truly an inferior book.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I was once depicted in a Lifetime TV movie, Time to Say Goodbye, about a family in conflict over the patriarch who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
What’s next for you?
I am working on a musical video for a local TV station and YouTube. I have thoughts about writing a book detailing several interesting cases that explore the brain/behavior interface.
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