Unfortunately, I left Dr. Fried's care after ten years (it took years to stabilize my condition) when I moved to Los Angeles about three years ago. I thought I had found a wonderful doctor in LA. Let's call her Dr. Y. I should have been an expert by now, but somehow I was out of practice and didn't spot this "Dr. Fraud" coming. This one liked to pray with me. Light candles. I gave it a chance. After all, this was Los Angeles. Then I finally asked her about her background. And she said, "I've studied all of the psychiatry and psychology courses, but I don't have a degree." Fooled again!
Fortunately, the story does, after all, have a happy ending. I found a wonderful psychopharmacologist whom I've been with for almost two years, and I continue to be stable.
Andy Behrman is the author of Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania, published by Random House. He maintains a website at www.electroboy.com.
