Bipolarized is an engaging, transparent memoir which simultaneously reads like a novel and raises awareness of bipolar disorder.

The author’s son, Riley, serves as the protagonist-of-sorts. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and his actions and consequences move the plot forward. From gambling on a cruise ship to impregnating his girlfriend to calling DCF on that same girlfriend to stealing a family friend’s credit card to having the girlfriend call the cops on him, we watch as the vicious cycle of bad-manic episode reaps bad rewards. Those bad rewards then create a bad environment where only bad outcomes seem to occur. He is portrayed as a tragic figure, a recidivism statistic, who cannot seem to escape from his troubled path.

However, Long is really the main character. She never loses hope for her son. As she watches her son in handcuffs at court appearances, pays for towed cars and legal fees, and even goes to jail herself partially as a result of Riley, she remains committed to her son, yet we see this change her. She slowly becomes more and more desensitized to the chaos as does the reader. We are present to her loss of trust in law enforcement and governmental institutions when dishonest tactics and unnecessary escalation takes place. It is hard not to admire Long’s resilience and hope that Riley will commit the rest of his days to being reformed and helping other convicts reform.

Beyond a memoir, this book serves as an entry-point into the world of bipolar disorder. Complete with a 20-page appendix in the back on mental health terminology, Long intends to raise awareness of bipolar disorder through the story of her son. As a licensed mental health counselor, she brings a deeper understanding and a larger credibility to the issue than a mere victim of a family member’s disorder.

I trust other readers will find this book as captivating and informative as I did.