Dr. Samuel and Mr. Hyde

" . . . It appears that the goal the individual most wishes to achieve, the end which he knowingly or unknowingly pursues, is to become himself." -- Carl R. Rogers.

Abnormal moods, their effect and control, their unhappiness for all involved, and the possibility of emerging whole define the scope of this book. The good news is that those afflicted and their loved ones can now continue their journey of self without mood turbulence.

Mood swings are a part of everyday experience. Some people feel up or down in response to the usual events of each day, while others remain fairly level most days. Some swing around like yo-yos. Calm, unruffled people control their moods differently from those reactive and perhaps more sensitive ones.

Many daily events can influence our mood changes including the state of our physical health. People with colds or influenza may feel down for a couple of weeks while those viral disorders run their course. AIDS, cancer, and other serious disorders -- even chronic lower back pain -- can produce longer-lasting periods of feeling down, especially in the beginning.

Everyday mood swings, therefore, signal our responses to events, including physical health problems of which we have no knowledge. These ups and downs of limited duration, generally occurring within a day (but sometimes for weeks or months), fit within boundaries that most of us would consider normal. They do not impair our functioning (though they may affect it). But we are not despondent. We are simply reacting in our individual ways and can usually explain the reason for our mood.

We humans are constituted so that some degree of mood change is both normal and desirable. Our basic constitution and personality have a role (i.e., people who cannot express joy or disappointment are often flat). I define this normal degree of mood change as staying level.

This book will deal with more severe mood swings -- those beyond the normal range -- the highs and lows. The term "high" means manic. "Low" means depression. "High-low" means a disorder formerly known as manic depression. Hypomania is a form of high not as intense as mania. The more recent term for high-low people, bipolar, means that they range from an upper pole to a lower one. People with depression alone are referred to as unipolar. This also includes those who have only highs, a more uncommon condition.

The National Institute of Health estimates the magnitude of the problems of mood disorders. Ten percent of the population suffers from mood disorders, approximately twenty-six million. All have some form of depression. One-and-one-half to two percent are also bipolar (3.75-5.2 million). Assuming three family members become involved in each case, then one hundred million Americans are affected directly or indirectly by mania or depression, or both.

Amazingly, a large percentage of patients do not consistently take prescribed medication. Sixty percent of all suicides each year are by mood-affected people. Being level for life is hardly a universal goal. Poor medication management prevails. Disorders are not recognized and treated early enough. The management of young mood-affected people leaves much to be desired.