Book Review: Balancing on a Tightrope

Title: Balancing on a Tightrope: My Life with Bipolar Disorder

Author: Rand L. Kannenberg

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KHYWPQN/

Summary

Balancing the ups and downs of Bipolar Disorder is different for every patient…including me.
Hi. I’m Rand (no, not “Randy,” “Randall,” or “Randolph,” and my parents can’t remember where they came up with the name. Even (R-Kentucky) U.S. Senator Rand Paul’s legal name is “Randal” (sic). But, that’s not important here. What I’m focusing on is that like so many people, even some very famous, I am bipolar.
Can untreated trauma that results in PTSD lead to Bipolar Disorder if an individual is already at high risk because of family history? That’s the case with me.
How many people can say their first childhood pet was a raccoon? What an amazing first, best friend. I will tell you about Bandit and how I lost her.
Suicide attempts are sadly far too common and I’ve had my share. Even in the darkest days, I was still here, and I made it through.
What relationship does anxiety or obsessive-compulsive behavior have with bipolar? They can coexist or co-occur . And they do with me.
In this autobiography, I’ll share the ups and downs of balancing on the tightrope of mental illness and explain how I’ve learned to exist and survive.

My Review

5/5 Stars

As a person suffering from bipolar disorder, I was deeply intrigued by the premise of this memoir, and I was not disappointed. Reading about the struggles of another person coping with the maniac highs and lows of bipolar gave me the idea that I’m not alone in this struggle.

The author goes in depth about both the high points of his life and the absolute lows that he struggled with. He takes time to examine his life from both a personal standpoint and a professional one to really understand himself. The main thing I learned from this is that no mental illness is easy to cope with and everyone will handle things in their own way. However, that doesn’t mean we’re alone. The best medicine we have in the fight is the love and support that we offer one another.

With bipolar disorder, we may lose the occasional battle and let our feelings get the better of us, but with the right attitude, we can win the war.