This is a work of creative nonfiction. The science is real and grounded in peer-reviewed research, but the case studies are composite characters drawn from common patterns rather than specific individuals. Names, circumstances, and identifying details have been invented or altered to illustrate broader truths about how human minds work. Any resemblance to real persons is coincidental.
One more thing, and it matters enough to say before anything else: this book is not a diagnostic tool. It is not a substitute for professional help. It is not medical advice. It is a conversation—one I hope makes you curious about the magnificent, maddening organ between your ears, and brave enough to get help if you recognize something in these pages that is causing you real pain.
If you are in crisis right now, call or text 988. Don't wait. Don't finish this page first.
—Carlo Thompson
