Diagnosing herself Four months into specialty training, the young doctor diagnosed herself with bipolar disorder in a unique way. While doing the late shift in the emergency department, she heard a voice on the PA system saying very nice things about her. Looking around, she saw that her colleagues weren't reacting to the unusual messages. She asked casually then if her name was called, and soon realized that the voice she heard wasn't real. Therefore, I must be psychotic.
Psychosis is a term for symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.
Vogel-Scibilia's ability to recognize it in herself has kept her out of awkward situations. She usually had hallucinations only when she was depressed. She made a discreet call to her own physician, who phoned a pharmacy so she could get medicine for psychosis. She took a dose and kept working. In the middle of the night, she examined a woman who wouldn't sit still.