Breaking Free of Depression’s Grip

Bruce Ross knew something was wrong. He felt displaced and isolated from friends, family, and society. He had no one to turn to, and so he tried to cope with it himself. That he had a disease called depression never entered his mind. He, like so many people, thought that only other people suffered from depression, not him. Breaking Free of Depression's Grip chronicles Bruce's journey and struggle with depression, from his high school years until his retirement. During this time, his promising start in life transformed into dusk, a dark, gloomy, and unsettled existence in which Bruce lived twenty-four hours of each day. With eloquence and charm, he somehow recaptures the joys of his childhood in Dartmouth, growing up with his friends. Gradually, as those times faded, he found himself in the middle of his teenage years and the beginnings of his depression. Since then, and for almost five decades, Ross has endured the pain of depression and its twin, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Breaking Free of Depression's Grip is the candid and revealing story of the trials and tribulations of living with depression and anxiety, and the many treatment options Bruce has attempted. But most of all, it is a message of hope that a person can ultimately succeed in their personal and business life-despite living with the heavy and constant weight of mental illness-which Bruce found a way to do, leading a fulfilling family life and remarkably successful career concluding it as Senior VP of Finance for a billion-dollar financial institution.

Bruce Ross knew something was wrong. He felt displaced and isolated from friends, family, and society. He had no one to turn to, and so he tried to cope with it himself. That he had a disease called depression never entered his mind. He, like so many people, thought that only other people suffered from depression, not him. Breaking Free of Depression's Grip chronicles Bruce's journey and struggle with depression, from his high school years until his retirement. During this time, his promising start in life transformed into dusk, a dark, gloomy, and unsettled existence in which Bruce lived twenty-four hours of each day. With eloquence and charm, he somehow recaptures the joys of his childhood in Dartmouth, growing up with his friends. Gradually, as those times faded, he found himself in the middle of his teenage years and the beginnings of his depression. Since then, and for almost five decades, Ross has endured the pain of depression and its twin, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Breaking Free of Depression's Grip is the candid and revealing story of the trials and tribulations of living with depression and anxiety, and the many treatment options Bruce has attempted. But most of all, it is a message of hope that a person can ultimately succeed in their personal and business life-despite living with the heavy and constant weight of mental illness-which Bruce found a way to do, leading a fulfilling family life and remarkably successful career concluding it as Senior VP of Finance for a billion-dollar financial institution.