In the Flesh or Bipolar Kids

In the Flesh: The Cultural Politics of Body Modification

Author: Victoria L Pitts

". . . a fascinating and sensitive look at body modification subcultures and the political debates surrounding them."-Patricia Clough, author of Autoaffection: Unconscious Thought in the Age of Teletechnology "The book refreshingly moves the arresting figure of the extreme body modifier out of the realm of the pathological and the masochistic and reveals how these practices and their disturbing embodiments challenge the tyrannical concept of normalcy that keeps the rest of us narrowly in check."--Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Emory University

Library Journal

Drawing on 20 in-depth interviews and other extensive research, Pitts (sociology, Queens Coll., CUNY) examines several segments of the body modification community and theorizes about the broader cultural and societal implications. The body modifications considered are extreme-scarification, branding, and implants (with some subjects performing their own surgery)-but Pitts argues against depicting these practices as self-mutilation, placing them instead on a spectrum of body modification that includes cosmetic surgery and BotoxR injections. The groups considered are women who see body modification as a way of reclaiming their bodies, usually after an experience of abuse; radical gays and lesbians fighting oppression and assimilation; "modern primitives" who adopt tribal practices from other cultures; and "cyberpunks" who seek to move beyond the limits of the natural body through technology. All these groups seek a meaningful experience beyond simply altering their appearance. Much of the material made this reviewer cringe, and the theoretical sections were very slow going, but this work provides insight into a relatively understudied segment of the population. Recommended for academic libraries.-Debra Moore, Cerritos Coll., Norwalk, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

New interesting book: Womens Labor in the Global Economy or The Literary Book of Economics

Bipolar Kids: Helping Your Child Find Calm in the Mood Storm

Author: Rosalie Greenberg

Once considered an adult illness, bipolar disorder (manic depression) is one of the fastest growing categories in child psychiatry since ADHD, touching the lives of an estimated one million children. But often it goes misdiagnosed, and children can be prescribed medication that only worsens their condition. Parents are desperate for someone to guide the way through this difficult time. With her twenty-five years of clinical experience, child psychiatrist Rosalie Greenberg offers families a lifeline--a book filled with sage, practical, and reassuring advice for anyone struggling to help a child locate that elusive inner calm.With a revolutionary approach that sees the brilliance, the sweetness, the creativity in bipolar kids, Dr. Greenberg gathers their stories and their parents’ stories to open a window onto these children who have for so long gone misunderstood. She walks readers through the different scenarios that may occur with bipolar kids, from daring manic phases to sudden periods of overwhelming sadness. She shows parents how best to navigate the peaks and valleys of bipolar disorder and provides them with the assurance that they need not tackle this illness alone. Most important, she encourages adults to listen to what children say through the maze of their mania and depression, for this can make all the difference in diagnosing and successfully managing bipolar disorder. Bipolar Kids offers parents welcome understanding, guidance, and most of all hope that their child, with the proper interventions, can lead a productive and successful life.

InfoDad.com

A thoughtful, comprehensive, and caring book, and even poetic at times.

Tampa Bay Tribune

[An] important work...an invaluable resource for parents, family practitioners, and teachers.

Publishers Weekly

A child psychiatrist with 25 years of clinical experience, Greenberg specializes in juvenile bipolar disorder, a condition that affects an estimated half million children in the U.S. Greenberg explains that bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed in children as such other disorders as ADHD or OCD; the "diagnostic morass" is further complicated by the fact that many bipolar kids also suffer from these very conditions or others such as autism or Asperger's syndrome. When bipolar disorder "rides sidesaddle" with other disorders, the wrong diagnosis can result. Fortunately, scientists are learning more about the disorder, and with this book in hand parents will also become more aware of the intricacies of this complex condition. Greenberg walks parents through a multitude of "hidden symptoms," including impulsivity, difficulty waking up, nightmares, anxiety, hypersexuality, carb cravings and sinus infections. Although in and of themselves these clues don't herald the condition, they are among the many fascinating links to pediatric bipolar disorder that Greenberg explores through current research and her own clinical experience. Along with examining the challenges, the author celebrates the bipolar child's creativity, sensitivity, and ability to "think outside the box." She also stresses the importance of listening to bipolar children, revealing that their self-observations can often be key in proper treatment. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, with its alternating highs and lows, is one of the most frequently diagnosed mental health illnesses in children and adolescents. It can be harder to diagnose in children than adults and can often be misdiagnosed. While many books and resources exist for bipolar disorder, fewer deal with pediatric bipolar disorder specifically, though this year has seen an increase in titles (e.g., Demitri Papolos and Janice Papolos's The Bipolar Child, 3d ed., and Gianni Faedda and Nancy Austin's Parenting a Bipolar Child). The authors of these books, both child psychiatrists, approach their topic differently. Greenberg assumes the first-person perspective and writes in a conversational style, sharing many stories from her practice, which makes the disorder seem less scary. She describes not only the experiences of her patients but also those of her patients' parents, as well as touches on medication, related illnesses, and therapy. Drawing on his experiences as both a child psychiatrist and a bipolar sufferer, Lombardo divides his work into three sections: "Diagnosis," "Development," and "Treatment." He addresses various age groups, from infants to late adolescents, and explores broader topics such as family relations. The two appendixes and the glossary do a good job of explaining potentially confusing topics, e.g., common medications taken by bipolar children. Bipolar Kids is recommended for public libraries. Understanding would be better suited for academic or health science libraries.-Leigh Mihlrad, Albert Einstein Coll. of Medicine Lib., Yeshiva Univ., Bronx, NY Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

What People Are Saying

Mary A. Fristad
This book will be a lifesaver for families struggling with the difficulties inherent to the diagnosis of childhood onset bipolar disorder. (Mary A. Fristad, Ph.D., co-author of Raising A Moody Child: How to Cope with Depression and Bipolar Disorder)

Mary A. Fristad
"This book will be a lifesaver for families struggling with the difficulties inherent to the diagnosis of childhood onset bipolar disorder." -- (Mary A. Fristad, Ph.D., co-author of Raising A Moody Child: How to Cope with Depression and Bipolar Disorder)

[A] masterful book. . . [Dr. Greenberg] offers a way of understanding such children by 'listening to the words, not just the music." -- (Clarice J. Kestenbaum, M.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University, and Past-President of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Clarice J. Kestenbaum
[A] masterful book. . . [Dr. Greenberg] offers a way of understanding such children by 'listening to the words, not just the music. (Clarice J. Kestenbaum, M.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University, and Past-President of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgments     xi
Foreword     xiii
Introduction     xvii
Listen to the Words, Not Just the Music     1
Depression and Mania: Riding the Mood Pendulum     19
The Hidden Aspects of Bipolar Disorder     41
How Bipolar Kids Shine     67
The Psychiatric Evaluation: Finding a Doctor and Examining Your Child's Symptoms     85
Comorbidity: Is This Bipolar Disorder or Something Else?     113
Medication: The Art and Science of Treatment     143
Why Therapy Matters     175
Hospitalization: When Therapy and Medication Aren't Enough     199
Going to School: Easier Said Than Done     211
Real Life, Real Answers     243
Epilogue     265
Notes     267
References     275
Resources     281
Index     287