Opening on a light note thanking his audience for coming "instead of watching the Red Sox play the Yankees," Leon Rosenberg established the tone for what would turn to a serious, yet ultimately optimistic talk about his personal battles with bipolar disorder and suicide.
Rosenberg's career has blended academia and industry. Currently a physician and genetics professor at Princeton University, he has previously served as dean of the Yale School of Medicine and as vice president for scientific affairs of Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Rosenberg did not, however, focus on his successful career, but rather on a more private and -- for a long time -- secret struggle with bipolar disorder.
Taking the audience chronologically through his battle with the illness, Rosenberg cited his first bout as triggered by dissatisfaction with a project during his medical training at the age of 26.
Always "highly successful," Rosenberg said that as a college student, he would never have expected to spend most of his adult life enduring semiannual intervals of depression.
Keenly aware of his mood swings that ranged between "unhealthy hypomania" and persistent sadness, he declined treatment in fear of adverse affects to his career, accepting depression as his "private albatross."
Despite his severe depression, Rosenberg remained functional, traveling, speaking and working. It was not until 1998 when he retired from Bristol-Myers Squibb that bipolar disease "nearly took [his] life."
In the spring of 1998, the Prozac intended to lessen Rosenberg's depression instead induced an increased sadness and agitation. This ultimately triggered a suicide attempt followed by hospitalization, which served as a turning point in Rosenberg's life.
After eight treatments of electro-convulsive treatment, Rosenberg said his depression subsided. For the last five years, on one lithium pill a day, Rosenberg has spent the longest time in his adult life without a serious episode of depression.
During this time, he published "Brainsick: A Physician's Journey to the Brink" -- an article that advocates destigmatizing mental illness in the scientific world.
That mission is one that Rosenberg still promotes.
"Every time someone steps forward and says something about mental illness, it has a positive effect," he said.
Rosenberg emphasized the relevance of bipolar disease to college students, but also gave it an optimistic spin.
He stressed that mental illness is treatable and is compatible with a successful career.
"The stigma associated with mental illness is unjust in humanity today," he said, explaining it is only a brain disease.
Finally he cited suicide as a major problem, and directed attention to the future research required for understanding the consequences and causes of mental illness.
Open Minds, a student group described by College junior Dan Levin as oriented toward "destigmatizing mental illness," organized Rosenberg's talk as a central part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Other events of Mental Health Awareness Week include free depression screenings at the Center for Mood and Anxiety Disorders at 3535 Market St., and a "Mental Chat and Chew" session at noon at 1920 Commons today.
