Finding Your Bipolar Muse How to Master Depressive Droughts & Manic Floods & Access Your Creative Power

Do creativity and mental illness truly go hand in hand, as many people believe? Or are all creative artists a bit "crazy"? Do psychotropic medications cause creative droughts? Are suffering and deprivation necessary for creative work? Or is there a better approach? Lana Castle draws from research, interviews, surveys, and her own experience to examine what bipolar disorder and depression bring to the creative mix. Drawing from forty-five years experience in the arts, Castle shares first-hand knowledge, tools, and resources to help both aspiring and professional "creatives" affected by mood disorders overcome challenges and move forward. Illuminating and inspiring, Castle's new book helps artists of all types deal with depressive droughts and manic floods. With sensitivity and grace, Castle explains how "creatives" can tap their talents to recover their lives. Readers will learn how to: manage medications and treatment without thwarting creativity; find focus; set daily, weekly, and monthly goals; develop self-esteem and independence; use their creative talents to generate income.

Lana R. Castle is a writer, speaker and mental health advocate based in Austin, Texas. She is the author of Bipolar Disorder Demystified: Mastering the Tightrope of Manic Depression. A member of the National Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Speakers Bureau, her mission is to openly and honestly communicate her thoughts, feelings, and experiences with mood disorders, suicide, and recovery to help as many people as possible.