Name Your Symptom

"Name Your Symptom" by Jim Harmon is a science fiction story from the mid-20th century that follows psychiatrist Henry Infield as he struggles with the effects of technological "Cures" that hide mental illnesses and create a society dependent on machines for psychological well-being. The core of the book examines mental health and the fallout from choosing artificial fixes instead of tackling real problems. Dissatisfied with the Cures he provides, Infield chooses to live without them, forcing him to face the false worlds they create and the society that supports them. Meeting characters such as Clyde Morgan, another psychiatrist, and George Price, a strong supporter of the Cures, turns Infield's journey into a quest for individuality and true sanity. His brave resistance to societal standards leads to a tragic clash with lightning, which represents the severe results of denying one's true self for manufactured constructs. The story acts as both a lesson and a meditation on mental health, freedom, and the social pressures that mold personal identity.