Manic Depression is also known as Bipolar Affective Disorder.

Agents In My Brain:
How I Continue To Survive Type-One Manic Depression
By Bill Hannon
Second Edition

amazon.com

In this compelling autobiography, Bill Hannon, a type-one manic depressive who has successfully managed his disease, offers an engrossing first-hand account of living with type-one manic depression. In this riveting account, the author shares his struggles with grandiose delusions, paranoid delusions, and misdiagnosis. He eventually succeeds in finding the proper medication which allows him to lead a normal and fulfilling life.

One feature sets this book apart from other stories about type-one manic depression: the fascinating and insightfully detailed descriptions of the author's manic episodes. Agents In My Brain is essential reading for anyone who has experienced or witnessed type-one manic depression. It is also necessary for medical professionals and medical students world-wide.

Bill Hannon has suffered from manic depression since 1976. He has led support groups for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance since 1987. He has been a guest speaker in college psychology classes since 1991.

“Bipolar disorders directly affect over 2.5% of the US population, and indirectly affect many more friends and family members. Bill Hannon has written a moving and gritty first-hand account of Bipolar I disorder. He describes its effects, how treatment works, and insights into why treatment sometimes doesn’t work. He explores in great detail his experiences with delusional thinking as part of a years-long story of recovery and perseverance. Recommended to those patients, family and friends looking to understand themselves and others with affective disorders. This book is also prescribed for professionals seeking to better appreciate what their patients experience outside (or inside) the office walls.”

-Warren Pendergast MD. Medical Director Emeritus. NC Physicians Health Program

“Agents in My Brain offers an extremely interesting and painful glimpse into the mind of an individual suffering from manic depressive illness…As a professor of psychology who teaches a course on the psychobiology of mental disorders, I am always on the lookout for books that provide first-hand accounts of mental dysfunction. This one fills a void in my reading list.”

-Lawrence Wichlinski Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Carleton College

"In Agents in My Brain, Bill tells the story of his struggle to find the right combination of medical professionals, medications, and support systems to understand and to manage his bipolar behavior. The journey was difficult, confusing, and often overwhelming. Yet Bill survived AND thrived! An inspirational story, Agents in My Brain is a testament to the ‘spirit to overcome’ within each of us. I thank Bill for having the courage to share his life experiences with those of us who continue to ‘search for the total cure.’ (Bill’s regular closing comment in our bi-monthly support groups).”

-Cindy. Co-facilitator with Bill Hannon, for the "Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance" support group