I read this book soon after college, while in the throes of what was not my first episode of depression. Doctors had been recommending ECT for years, but I was scared to death of it, mostly because of the potential for memory loss. Since Manning is a therapist and obviously very educated, learning that she was able to resume her life without significant adverse effects was incredibly reassuring. Doctors always say "I'd recommend ECT to my mother if she were as depressed as you are." In Manning I found a mental health professional who not only would recommend it to her mother but would actually put herself through it, something I had previously been unable to believe about the doctors I had spoken with.
In 1999, several years after reading "Undercurrents" for the first time, I experienced my worst depression yet. Re-reading this book helped me find the courage to try ECT, and I have been depression-free ever since. After 20 years of fighting off the beast, I had finally won and I felt I owed a considerable amount of my success to Manning.
During one of my hospitalizations, I loaned this book to my mom. Manning describes what depression feels like in a way that I had previously been unable to and I felt her book would help my mom understand why I had attempted suicide so many times in the past. She did find it enlightening; although it made her sad to finally realize how I had been feeling, it did give her more clarity on the overwhelming helplessness associated with depression.
Unfortunately, Ms Manning has not had the luck with ECT that I have. I had the opportunity to meet her at a book signing for another book to which she had contributed. I was so excited I was going to be able to thank her in person!!! Many other people showed up at the reading to ask her about "Undercurrents" as well; it was clear this book had a great impact on the people in attendance. While answering their questions, Manning revealed that ECT was not a cure-all for her. She has had to undergo subsequent treatments which have been less successful than the initial treatment she wrote about. In fact, at the time she was in the midst of another depressive episode, albeit a relatively mild one. As a result, she was less than gracious when people asked her to sign copies of "Undercurrents" that night.