Jonathan's* father had always taken care of everything, from their business to social activities. Jonathan, even though he was 50, was comfortable taking a back seat while his father drove, both literally and metaphorically. He'd been trained to believe that his secondary status was normal. His father was a big,...

Dr. Anders* felt frightened of Tony* from the very first time she met him. Fear was the least prevalent feeling that this well-seasoned psychiatrist experienced when dealing with patients. However, something about the tall, emaciated, 42-year-old was unsettling. He shuffled into her small, private office like a much older man...

Janine* had been working as a post office clerk for 25 years. Whenever she felt inadequate, she would tell herself that she really was destined for more prestigious work, but circumstances had always gone against her. She had been born to a single, impoverished and abusive mother who discouraged Janine...

Ed*, a freelance computer graphics artist, was so embarrassed by his appearance that he refused to attend most parties and social gatherings. Instead he spent his days alone, indoors, working on various assignments. At night he would venture out in a large hat covering most of his face and an...

Did you ever look at your husband or wife and feel that person is an impostor? Janet, a 24-year-old graduate student, came home from a stressful day at school and found a man she thought was a stranger in her bed.

"Who are you? How did you get into my...

Do you ever feel like you're going crazy? Does your heart suddenly beat rapidly? Do you get the sweats waiting for a bus or the train? Do you feel impending doom when nothing is wrong? You may have panic attacks. Out of all the psychiatric illnesses, panic attacks are the...