I was diagnosed with manic depression a.k.a. bipolar disorder when I was a junior in college in 1981. I'd had symptoms of depression during high school, but nobody around me was able to figure out what was happening. In 1999 I went into a catatonic depression and had 18 ECT treatments during a couple of months. The treatments severely effected my memory so I wasn't able to work. I've been on disability since that time. Currently, I struggle to motivate myself to return to work as I'm afraid of losing my stable mood, income, and decent medical coverage. My principle interest is poetry.