I remember once feeling like I was offering my patients a warm, nurturing hug when I would give them a diagnosis, or confirm it, after a consultation. “It’s the nature of Bipolar Disorder,” I would say “…it’s just part of your lineage, a brain chemistry condition, that thankfully, we can manage if you stick with your medication.”
I never suspected that this diagnosis would ultimately be cold comfort, and perhaps even something like a number on a prisoner’s jumpsuit.
