agreed. I am a very obsessive, research-driven person as well - I fixate on a topic and do nothing but read, think, write about it. While this is 'normal' for me, sometimes I think it can be a bit of a trigger...for example, I can get overly excited, eat/sleep much less because of this, develop unrealistic expectations, buy things I really can't afford in order to pursue my current fascination, and then start to feel I've made some miraculous discovery and am 'special.' When it gets to this point, I'm bound to fall - unrealistic visions and loss of perspective sets one up for failure, that state of being, for me at least, just isn't sustainable. This is when I get frantic, confused, angry, and then depressed...

I guess my point is - are you setting yourself up to fall? Your goals don't seem particularly out of reach or bizarre (I'm thinking of Dr. Jamison's description of buying up all the city's snake bite kits in order to save everyone...a good example of when goal-driven enthusiasm crosses the line)