Apologies if I repeat myself in this post - I've just seen a bundle of text disappear from under my nose, and I'm not sure where it went.
BR> Sinsull, relax! My dearest friend's manic-depressive husband killed himself 18 years ago. Last summer her daughter ended her first year at university top of the class, then went the same way. If her son (now 20) would only top himself too, I am sure my friend - herself a manic depressive who has been detained twice under the UK Mental Health Act - would realise that there is nothing left to live for, and then you can really have a party.

Or you could read a book called Touched with Fire by Kay Redfield Jamison, and realise that when we have killed off all the depressives, we will have killed off most of humankind's creative spirit. (Needless to say, I was not sidetracked by Spaw's brainless apology on your behalf.)

Mousethief's question was as reasonable as you could ask for, and deserved some thought. If we can't handle that, we might as well abandon this caff. Certainly there is good science and good medicine, but in my experience some clinicians are inclined to prescribe chlorpromazine, largactyl, lithium etc - and of course the cure-all Prozac - first, and ask questions afterwards.