Briester, the others are right. You can't just change your mood to happiness by choice as many who do not suffer think that is all it takes. As a strong person all my life, when I started exhibiting early warning signs I ignored them even when they grew worse. I too have a new wife and baby and just had to shut my law firm down due to the economy. However, with the right combination of medication and psychothearapy you can get thru this. I fought it for 20 years because I saw my illness as a sign of weekness. I am working on a book about it with a working title right now called "Two Decades of Darkness" Imagine not feeling like you or pretending to be your old self for twenty years? It will catch up to you in a bad way if you do not seek help and also urge your loved ones to gain a better understanding of what you are going thru so they can be more supportive.

I came from the old school where such mattters as mental illness were not discussed...it was hell getting my family to open their eyes.