DescriptionofthisBookAjournalistfaceshistoughestassignmentyet:profilinghimself.Zemanrecountshisstrugglewithclinicaldepressioninthishigh-octane,brutallyfunnymemoiraboutmooddisorders,memory,shocktreatmenttherapyandthequesttogetbacktonormal.Thirty-fivemillionAmericanssufferfromclinicaldepression.ButNedZemanneverthoughthe'dbeoneofthem.HecamefromahappyMidwesternfamily.Hehadgreatfriendsandabusysociallife.HiscareerwasthrivingatVanityFairwhereheprofiledadventurersandeccentricswhopushedthelimitsanddiedyoung.Then,atagethirty-two,anxietyanddepressiongrippedZemanwithincreasingviolenceandconsequences.Heexperimentedwiththerapistaftertherapist,medicationaftermedication,hospitalafterhospital-includingMcLeanHospital,thefacilityfamedforitstreatmentofwriters,fromSylviaPlathtoSusannaKaysentoDavidFosterWallace.Zemaneventuallywentfurther,bytryingelectroconvulsivetherapy,akashocktreatment,akathetreatmentoflastresort.Bythetimeitwasover,Zemanhadlostnearlytwoyears'worthofmemory.Hewasareporterwithamnesia.Hehadnochoicebuttostartfromscratch,toreassemblethepiecesofalifehedidn'trememberand,increasingly,didn'twantto.Hisgirlfriendwasgone;friendsweren'tspeakingtohim.Hislifelayinruins.Andthebiggestquestionremained,WhatthehelldidIdo?Byturnshilariousandheartbreaking,profaneandhopeful,TheRulesoftheTunnelisablisteringaccountofZeman'stwistedridetohellandback-areturnmadepossiblebyfriendsrealandlessso,amongthemthedeadeccentricsheonceprofiled.It'sagutturalshoutofabook,onethatdefiesconventionalnotionsaboutthosewithmooddisorders,unlocksmysterieswithinmysteries,andprovesthatsometimeseverythingyou'relookingforisrightinfrontofyou.