Thanks Laura for your input. Yes, my husband felt abandoned in his childhood. His parents were too wrapped up in their hate for each other and in getting plastered than to care about the kids. My husband's brother is also in treatment for depression and anger issues. I'm still not sure that my husband is bi-polar as he's never gone as far as some: no suicide attempts(although he does talk longingly about death coming sooner than later for him and how he wishes death would come NOW), he never over spends money and is very cautious as he doesn't trust anyone or any institution with his money, he never went into a hypersexed mode(as far as I know or can tell). He does have a terribly low self-esteem and high anxiety related to his paranoia and ruminations about all the ill will that's against him.