In 1958 my late wife, Shirley who suffered from bipolar disorder (manic depression) had her first nervous breakdown (hypomanic episode) because our first child was mongoloid, with a cleft palate, and was mentally challenged.

She was hospitalized in an unpainted cinder block cell with a locked door containing a barred window. The cell contained a bed with sheets and a blanket. It was recommended that I forget about her, and have her admitted to a mental institution. This was the typical advice of psychiatrists, and how society dealt with mentally ill patients at that time. I chose to have her remain in the hospital for treatment, and luckily, through treatment she was able to return home after about two months and placed on a variety of drugs.

My wife’s second nervous breakdown occurred many years later when my father passed away.

Her third nervous breakdown occurred several years later when she was left alone to look after our three children in our home in Calgary, when I was teaching Automotives in Claresholm, Alberta.

My wife’s fourth nervous breakdown occurred many years later when we were residents of a senior's lodge.

I knew Shirley had bipolar disorder (manic depression) however, I now believe her traumatic experiences between the ages of 11 and 13 caused her to suffer from the fear symptom of the fight or flight response, as well, because she exhibited all the symptoms of the fight or flight response emotions. It is a learned behavior that can be unlearned with a meditation method of treatment developed by Dr. Dispeneza over 20 years ago. Sadly, to this very day, the mental health system still treats the symptoms of this learned behavior with anti-depressant drugs that do nothing, rather than cure the condition with Dr. Dispenza's meditation method.