Finding Truth in Fiction

Bipolar disorder is among the most common conditions affecting humankind and one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. It is a complex and dynamic psychiatric condition that makes it difficult to both understand and manage. However, with good management, people affected by bipolar disorder can lead very successful lives. This book was written specifically with new psychiatrists and mental health practitioners in mind to facilitate their ability to care forthis condition. Chapters review clinical presentation and epidemiology, etiology and neurobiology, and treatment of bipolar disorder.In Finding Truth in Fiction, two media psychologists reveal that there's much more to our desire to seek out stories in film, TV, and books than simple diversion - fiction can help us find truth in our real lives. Whether you consider yourself a fan of popular media or whether you find yourself thinking of a particular fictional scene for inspiration, you are not alone. Though some assume that interest in a fictional world is a sign of psychological trouble, the authors enthusiastically disagree. Because story worlds are simulations of our social world, we use them to make sense of our experiences and even decide what kind of people we want to be. This makes fiction far from trivial. By exploring our relationship with fictional stories and characters, the authors will examine how we create mental models in our minds so we can understand stories and charactersand how we differentiate between the identities of characters and the actors who play them. What story arcs, such as the hero's journey, are we drawn to again and again? How do the moments that strike us as important in a story change as we age and move through different stages in our life? Delving into these questions and many more, the authors conclude that being a fan is not just healthy, it's human.