This compelling, heart-to-heart true story leaves its readers inspired with a speechless sense of wonder. Bipolar Firsthand is a gift to humanity. People with manic depression are like the epicenter of an earthquake; no one nearby is left untouched. Living and breathing within these pages, the author shines light on her soul's darkest hours and highest highs. She states that bipolar illness can be a learned condition, not necessarily a genetic, inherited disease. In Patty's own words, she says this: The day I was born, I hit the ground running; so fast, so awake, so alive, I literally vibrated with excitement. I was given beatings, medication, guilt, and psychiatrists in an effort to calm me. I fought back. I kicked and screamed and finally went crazy. I was diagnosed with manic depression, convinced my teachers were right. After all, there were so many of them, all looking out for my best interests. They said there was no hope for me, so I gave up. I wanted to die. This book is about my journey back to life. I am at peace after being beaten bloody as a child, experiencing the raw emotion of gang rape, dealing with decades of bulimia, having been married and divorced eight times, and attempting suicide more times than I can count. Today, I am a healthy, happy, and powerful person. Everyone can be. An unimaginable amount of deep work has saved my life. Falling down is inevitable. Getting back up is divine. Bipolar Firsthand tells the story of how I did it. My greatest hope is that you become willing to see your innocence and that you come to love your life as much as I love mine. I anticipate that the people who love us will better understand us and come to know that we chose this life before we were born and that they chose this dance with us. We are all here to advance the evolution of our souls. We are quite literally one. Patty's frank and revealing book, Bipolar Firsthand, has been reviewed by the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We find it to be a brave and inspiring work that few people who have gone through a life like Patty has, are able to pull up the courage and persistence it takes to write about it. Thank you, Patty. Well done! Aurora William, MPA NAMI Board President & Support Group Facilitator Mental Health Advocate San Luis Obispo, Ca. Transitions Mental Health Association is proud to announce their endorsement for Patty Hansen's new book, Bipolar Firsthand. It's a brilliant example of the naked emotions connected with Bipolar Illness and its many challenges. Who could spend 7 months in a state mental institution, get married and divorced eight times, attempt suicide four times and then bare her soul, showing the world there's hope of peace and freedom from depression? Patty, now 73, lives a happy, fulfilling life and shows us how she did it. Angela Alvarez, Clinical Director at Transitions Mental Health Association, San Luis Obispo, Ca.