In providing an unflinching, often harrowing, account of his journey to redemption, Living with Mr D details the author’s childhood struggles when self-imposed isolation and feelings of stupidity left him feeling worthless. He also outlines the calamitous effect of depression upon his first marriage and the fracturing of his life overall, demonstrating how he resorted to various destructive ways to get by. These include a heavy reliance on alcohol, the reckless pursuit of extra marital affairs and two suicide attempts.

But what was the cause of this depression? It would take 50 plus years before he got the answer: a diagnosis of a rare condition called Dyscalculia. Armed with this knowledge, Peter attempted to salvage his life using ‘mind mapping’ techniques, which are central to managing the condition. Two other ‘building blocks’ are needed to achieve certain progress: acceptance and being open to the influences of loved ones. The result for Peter has been a profound change in his mind set.

Mainly concerned with being a self-help tool for people experiencing depression, Living with Mr D aims to help others learn to cope better with the condition by laying bare his experiences. 

Peter McQuade was born in working class Motherwell, Scotland. Now retired and married for a second time, Peter previously worked in social care. Alongside his current voluntary work with homeless people, Peter’s main interests are reading, travel and music.