ABSTRACT
JOHN HAS EXTREME mood swings. Somenights he goes to bars, orders drinks on the house, talks loudly to strangers, and staggers home, drunk. But at work, he’s often so engulfed by a dark mood of horror that he’s unable to function; all he can do is stare blankly into space for hours at a time. His boss has told him that, unless he pulls out of it, he’ll have to quit his job. Kate feels extremely anxious in small, tight, enclosed spaces. In an elevator, her heart races, her skin becomes flushed, and she sweats profusely. Lately, she’s been taking the stairs, even to the tenth floor. Soon
after graduating from college, Phil began hearing voices com manding him to recruit 20 virgins and establish a religion based on the practice of free love on a remote Pacific island. He stands on a soapbox near a university, hands out leaflets, and makes speeches requesting recruits; so far, no one has joined him. Sally fears being contaminated by germs; she spends hours washing her hands or showering, touches doorknobs with hand-wipes, and avoids urinating in a public toilet. She apologizes to people for her behavior but explains she can’t control herself.
