Alfredo Zotti – författare

More than a just a journey, Alfredo gives us a blueprint for humane treatment of mental illness In 1981, twenty-three-year old Alfredo Zotti began his lifelong challenge of living with Bipolar II Disorder. He quickly hit rock bottom, spending time as a homeless person and turning to street drugs and alcohol to medicate his symptoms. After hospitalization and careful outpatient monitoring, he became a successful musician and completed university. In 2004, he started to mentor sufferers of mental illness, and together, they developed an online journal. Alfredo now sees mental illness from a new perspective, not of disadvantages but advantages. In his words: "Having a mental illness can be a blessing if we work on ourselves." In this memoir and critique of mental illness, the reader will learn: How empathic listening and being with someone can help calm that person''s symptoms The power of singing to create a safe space in a community Why spirituality can be a key component in the healing process The connections between mental illness, artistic expression, and people who think differently The impact of childhood trauma on our psyche and its role in mental illness The dangers of antipsychotics and antidepressants The amazing connection between heart and brain and how we can cultivate it The challenges of love and marriage between partners with Bipolar Disorder "Alfredo''s story and his insights into the causes and treatment of mental ill-health are incredibly moving and impressive. His humanity, intelligence, creativity and his generosity and compassion towards people affected by mental illness and dedicated mental health professionals shine through the pages of his book." -- Professor Patrick McGorry, AO MD PhD, Executive Director, OYH Research Centre, University of Melbourne "As a clinician and academic, one can study and research ever known aspect of a disorder and write scholarly articles for learned journals, but none of this holds the potency of an individual relaying his or her lived experience. Alfredo does just this in his inimitable style, offering hope at every juncture to those who travel a similar road. The story should be read by clinicians, academics and sufferers alike." --Professor Trevor Waring AM, Clinical Psychologist, Con-Joint Professor of Psychology, University of Newcastle

Marshal the Skills and Resources You Need to Live Your Best Life!

This book is about how to recover from bipolar disorder, or at least how to attempt to recover from it. Sufferers will be briefly introduced to new coping skills including: emotional regulation, method acting, empathy development and relaxation. In order to get the most out of this book, you’ll need to develop your own strategies, based on the recommendations of this book.

“In Got Bipolar?, Zotti offers unique insights based on his personal experience of coming to terms with his own bipolar condition. Applying method acting as an emotional regulation tool mirrors the work of Marsha Linehan and her concept of ‘opposite action to the emotion’, a tool long recognized as effective in regulating emotions. Additionally, his focus on developing hobbies and interests in one’s life also reflects Linehan’s emphasis on creating a life worth living through the pursuit of meaningful activities. Zotti’s book will, no doubt, provide an invaluable guide for sufferers of bipolar disorder and I highly recommend it.” --Paul Corcoran, Clinical Psychologist, Moving Forward

“If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (BPD), Got Bipolar? is a good place to start to try to make sense of it all. Topics include self-care, medications, coping skills and responding to someone in crisis. Zotti has lived with BPD most of his life, so he has walked the talk. The messages are of hope, loving yourself throughout this process and, if you are looking for help with a loved one, recognizing that the person is more than just this illness.” -- Judy Wright, mental health patient advocate

“Got Bipolar? offers a framework for the sufferer in need of skills to overcome symptoms. Zotti personally uses method acting as a coping skill to reverse mood states. Even a smile has the power to shift a low mood. He covers the basics, but it is up to the readers to increase their knowledge of emotional regulation, empathy development, relaxation techniques and other coping skills. This book is a really good primer for anyone suffering from Bipolar Disorder.