Condensed from her earlier work, The Suicide of My Son, this book was developed by Minnesota author and lecturer Trudy Carlson specifically for readers who used the book and requested a quick reference guide. In this compelling work, based on the first section of The Suicide of My Son the author traces the origins of her son Ben's bipolar depression, attention deficit disorder, and the symptoms of anxiety exhibited from infancy to his death by suicide at age fourteen. Included are behavioral manifestations of these condition at various stages of Ben's life, interspersed with teacher evaluation, psychological impression from noted child psychiatrist and researchers, and reflections on Ben's development throughout these stages. Readers become familiar with Ben's life and struggles on a highly personal level, and come away with a clearer understanding of depressive illnesses and their ramifications as they relate to all our lives.