Sara Sweden,

I could not have said it better. I bond only with a lot of difficulty and it takes years so it's hard for me to relate to people who attach quickly. I do, however, know what it's like to be so ill that my safety and survival depends on their actions. That's terrifying to me. Even I forget sometimes that I am not their only client/patient. I told my psychiatrist of 25 years that it probably seems to him that I'm his only patient because of how much work I've been for him over the years, but I do realize I'm just one of thousands of patients he's had in his career. It helps me keep perspective. He and I have a fantastic working relationship, but he's my psychiatrist, not my friend. I need to keep that clear in my head sometimes, especially because him, I have a rare bond to. That bond has taken decades to form. It's a big deal for me. Fortunately, he's very sensitive to that fact.