Author(s): Rob Dobrenski

Health

An average day in the life of a psychologist is a frenetic one. A 9 a.m. appointment to help a woman manage a husband who won't take out the garbage (at least with pants on) quickly shifts to a session with a convicted rapist at 10 a.m. After talking with a child about his fears of school an hour later, the psychologist then meets with a therapist to deal with his own fears, followed by lunch with his socially-phobic colleague who's already had four martinis by 1 p.m. All this, and it's only Monday. Is it any wonder, then, that therapists are often depressed, anxious, and prone to panic attacks? Or that they take antipsychotics, self-medicate with booze, and struggle in their own relationships?"" "Crazy" is the story of how one mental health professional deals with his own personal problems and those of the people he treats. Part expose and part memoir, it reveals what therapists "really" think about their profession, their colleagues, their patients, and their own lives.