L.S. Rosen
This is a feel good story of one man’s life, my own. I felt compelled to write this to hopefully save many other people that suffer with this mental illness and the pain that I went through. I want everyone to know through reading this that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Today is not like the 1960’s and 1970’s when I grew up with it and no one talked about it.
This book takes you on a roller coaster journey from first to twelfth grades, explaining all along the way the problems that I had with ADD and my parents thinking I had a reading problem in third grade. It also addresses behavioral issues that I exhibited. These were finally linked to the learning disorders, which resulted in depression in my later years.
I sense that my parents are doing the best that they feel is right for me but I never get the help that I need and at thirteen as I enter my teen years it starts going down hill like a snowball. I got into smoking and drugs to get the acceptance that I thought I needed.
The end nearly comes in 2001 where after a failed marriage and a business that is not going well I decided to commit suicide. I have it all planned out. When, where, how but because of my children I decide not to do it. That is why I dedicated the book to them.
In the end I get right down to the reason I wrote the book which is that you can get healthy, lead a very productive life, and make something of yourself.
Search for Happiness is L.S. Rosen's first attempt at writing about a subject that he lived with for 36 years.
Mr. Rosen was born and raised in the New York Metropolitan area, where he lived with depression and ADD. At the age of 21 he moved to the Pacific NW and lived in Seattle where he married and had two children Brianne and Aaron.
After 13 years of marriage his depression caused the break up of his marriage and after 5 years of bachlorhood he remarried. He has been remarried for 10 years now and in 2006 finally got the help he needed to get healthy.
Mr. Rosen hopes to use this book as a springboard to speaking out about getting the help you need to get healthy and lead a productive life.
Chapter 1
The Cold Hard Truth
Depression disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults, which is about 9.5% of the U.S. population 18 and above. Do you think that depression starts suddenly at age 18? I don't believe so, knowing what I know. Preschoolers are the fastest-growing market for antidepressants; at least 4% of preschoolers—over one million children—are clinically depressed. Brianne started when she was about 10, and I started when I was 13. The rate of increase of depression in children is 23%. The following is a list of some of the warning signs and symptoms of depression in teenagers.
?A persistent feeling of sadness along with feeling helpless, hopelessness and or worthless
?Irritability
??Feelings of anxiety
?Loss of pleasure in things that interest you
?Neglect of responsibilities or care
?Changes in eating habits or sleeping patterns
?Fatigue and loss of energy
?Extreme mood changes, including sudden bouts of crying
?Increased use of alcohol and or drugs
?Thoughts of death or suicide
I had them all. I never felt happy; in fact, I had a lot of self-pity. I did not feel like going out with friends or family and only wanted to be by myself. I could never just let go and truly enjoy things; I always found anything I could to feel like I did not have a good time.
As far as hopelessness was concerned, as I mentioned earlier, I felt for a very long time that I would never amount to anything. I know using
