“I found it seductively complicated, a distillation of both what is best in our nature and what is most dangerous” (Jamison, 1995, p.5). In “An Unquiet Mind,” Kay Redfield Jameson takes readers through her experience dealing with manic depression. Kay was happy and well-rounded during her childhood. She developed an interest in poetry, school plays, science and medicine and was strongly encouraged by her parents. She was surrounded by good friends, a close-knit family, and copious amounts of laughter. Kay's sister, who was 13 months older than her, described her as "the blonde-haired one" in the family, to whom friends and schoolwork came too easily. Due to her father's involvement in the Air Force as an officer, Kay attended elementary school near Andrews. Air Force Base, outside Washington. Tradition and high expectations came with being part of a “military family.” “Expectations were clear and excuses were few; it was a society that sincerely believed in fair play, honor, physical courage, and the willingness to die for one's country” (Jamison, 1995, p.28). Kay felt a high level of security while living within the gated military world. However, this was shaken due to emotional distress resulting from witnessing a traumatic plane crash during Kay's second year of primary school. In the middle of recess, along with the rest of her second-grade class, Kay stood paralyzed with fear as a plane fell from the sky, narrowly missing the playground and exploding right before the children's eyes. In the days following the accident it was learned that the pilot had sacrificed his life to fly the plane as far as possible from the playing field. If he hadn't done so, he would have risked... middle of paper... positive effect on his path to recovery. Their knowledge on the subject was helpful in recognizing her disease and encouraging her to take lithium. However, he had difficulty taking lithium consistently. He repeatedly made the mistake of stopping use once his mood was normal, only to find himself slipping back into depression. Every time she took lithium, Kay became frustrated with the side effects that affected her senses and especially her ability to read. At age 32, in response to the unexpected death of her lover, her struggle with lithium ceased and she was given an incentive to take it regularly. This was the major turning point from illness to health and Kay was gradually able to experience happiness again. She had a mission to stay healthy and a determination to improve the treatment and care of others with this terrible disorder.