The purpose of this site is to share information about mood disorders, the depression survivor's perspective, the psychology of money and mental accounting. The information was developed and written by Bob Sealey, Bsc, CA, a non-medical professional, self-employed consultant and freelance writer. My BSc degree included biological and medical science courses and my CA professional accountancy designation involved business and commerce courses.

I learned about mood disorders by living with my own mood disorder for more than thirty years. Variously diagnosed with depression, dysthymia, major depression and bipolar II mood disorder, I experienced lengthy episodes of depression alternating with periodic brief hypomanic outbursts. Much of my mood disorder experience was undiagnosed and untreated. For several years, I took (and am still taking) a number of antidepressant medications. Unfortunately, I am hypersensitive to medications and have multiple adverse effects after taking synthetic antidepressants.

Since 1996, I have been stable using European phyto-pharmaceuticals and orthomolecular supplements. These helped me restore and maintain normal mood without adverse effects. I have also had therapy. Learning how depression is treated: 1. from my own experience; 2. by reading many books and 3. interviewing other depressed people, taught me that I am not alone. Many people are living with and surviving depression. I am sharing information and experiences to help other depressed people, their families, friends and caregivers.

The intent of this site is to share layman's information. Depression survivors can use the tips and traps to generate hope, consider positive possibilities for restoring normal mood without adverse effects, cope with mood disorder conditions, cooperate with healthcare professionals, use self-help tips and traps, and find references about mental healthcare. They can monitor and manage their money during episodes of depression.

If you wish to learn more about my work, you can buy my layman's guides. These guides do not replace medical care, but they can help depressed people survive, consider their options, and make positive progress. After restoring normal mood, it is possible to live well with a mood disorder.

There are many excellent websites with information about depression. The purpose of this unique site is to share practical self-help ideas for mood disorder survivors as developed by a mood disorder survivor. Other sites share peoples' personal experiences of depression, promote support groups and list medical references. You can learn something different each time you visit another type of site. You can find treasure troves of information if you are open-minded to positive possibilities.

If you suffer with a mood disorder, keep looking for information that can help you restore and maintain normal mood without adverse effects. Don't close your mind to the possibility that you can find effective mental healthcare. Some people benefit from antidepressant medications; others find therapy helpful; still others use light therapy; others use European or orthomolecular methods and many depressed people use combinations of mental healthcare and self-help. Whatever works for you is what you need. Before you give up in despair, consider looking for the facts and learning about mood disorders. Consider other peoples' experiences and their points of view. Some are narrow, others are open-minded.

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