A high-achieving, successful mid-level manager, Don Wooldridge has done battle with Bipolar II disorder for over 40 years-and concealed the fear of having a mental illness being discovered. In touching bursts of prose that mirror the devastating and extreme despair of the disorder, Wooldridge describes his roller-coaster life with stunning honesty, and in the process brings his creative voice to the previously unarticulated experiences he endured.
About the Author: Don Wooldridge is an accomplished author in several genres; now retired, he draws on the writing skills amassed over 30 years in training and development as a technical writer, instructional and interactive learning systems designer and producer. Education enriched Don's life along the way; earning a teaching degree from Southwest Texas State University and a two-year certificate in Golf Course Turf Management from Rutgers University. The author delivers a uniquely personal story; he suffered from Bipolar II disorder for most of his life, and still has ongoing episodes of the illness. "Fear Is My Co-Pilot" is the powerful, moving memoir of Don's life, from the moment he looked outside a hospital window, struggled with his scattered and broken thoughts, and pondered how it was that only yesterday he was a successful middle-level manager. He takes readers through myriad experiences of his life's duration as he learned to cope with the affliction. Don frankly discusses his inability to fully rid himself of overriding fears of being discovered by his family, friends and peers, and the incredibly difficult obstacles he overcame to become a highly respected professional. This powerfully delivered memoir is destined to become a classic in its genre. **************** In "Fear Is My Co-Pilot," Don does a wonderful job of taking us through his journey of finding out about his diagnosis, the impact his symptoms have on his relationships and jobs, and how he learned what works best for him to manage his symptoms. As you will see, this was a journey decades in the making. Without insight, mood instability can wreak havoc in the lives of not only the people experiencing it, but those around them. It affects relationships, jobs, self-esteem, physical health, etc. It then becomes something we all face together, whether we realize it or not...whether we want to or not. Don's insights are beautifully illustrated through his own experiences. He finds both the advantages and disadvantages of his symptoms, noting what an amazing creative problem-solver he can be... at the very peaks of his hypomanic episodes, but then the effects that drive can have on those around him. Krylyn Peters, "The Fear Whisperer," is an author, speaker, coach, and singer/songwriter.