Lots of people call me up and ask me to recommend doctors or therapists for them or their loved ones. Each time, I give the same answer: no!

Some of them do get angry, but that's why I want to explain why I always give that answer. You see, I don't have any trouble with providing a list of leads of bipolar professionals that I've heard good things about, but I'm not going to recommend them to anyone.

The reason is that I've found that some doctors just work well with some patients. Even though my mom's doctor may be perfect for her, she might not work well with you or your loved one. Don't get me wrong, there are also some doctors out there who are just plain terrible for anyone. But when you start looking at those doctors who are good and great, you start realizing that one size does not fit all when it comes to bipolar disorder.

You're probably wondering why that's the case since a great doctor should always be great just like a terrible doctor is always terrible. The reason is simple human nature. At work and in our social lives, we just find it easier to get along with and to accomplish things with certain people over others. Those same rules apply to medicine. Some patients, for example, may feel more comfortable with a doctor who is of the same gender, who is a similar age, or who has a certain 'bed-side manner.'

That's why I never try to tell anyone which doctor or therapist they should be seeing. That's always why I provide leads instead of recommendations and why I always tell people to use my doctor finding system to select the right person for their needs.

When you use my system for finding a doctor, you'll find the process is more rewarding than simply getting a name over the telephone. You'll actually get a feeling for the difference between a good and a bad doctor so you won't have to rely on leads or opinions from other people in the future. To be honest, I can tell you the differences all day but until you start seeing them for yourself you simply won't understand them.

Additionally, using my system will also help you find out more about the doctors. No two doctors are ever the same. Some allow patients to contact them by email. Others will actually call you to see how you're doing. Doctors may also have discounted fees or different programs they use which may not work for every patient.

Besides finding out all of this information, you can also use the leads and my system to make sure beforehand that you or your loved one is a good match with a particular doctor. You'll probably know fairly quickly and since you'll be working with this individual for a long time down the road it's important to make a good match from the beginning. If it's not going to work then, it isn't going to get better down the line.

A simple recommendation won't give you all of this information. Sure, it would be easier for me to give you the phone number of a doctor that I think is great, but the easiest path is rarely the best one, especially when it comes to treating bipolar disorder.