The numbness in my heart, a fleeting feeling.

The office was the color of bone. A single, abstract painting hung on the wall, all muted blues and grays. You sat in a chair that was just a little too low to the ground, your hands resting on your knees.

Dr. Armitage

The results from your genetic panel have come back. Combined with your symptom profile and treatment history, it confirms what we've suspected.

He paused, adjusting his glasses. His voice was calm, measured, a steady drip of information.

Dr. Armitage

You meet the clinical criteria for treatment-resistant depression. Your brain's neurochemistry isn't responding to first or second-line interventions in the expected way.

He slid a prescription pad across the polished surface of his desk. The scratch of his pen was the loudest sound in the room.

Dr. Armitage

This is a different class of medication. It should provide a level of stability the others couldn't. A necessary baseline.

He looked at you, his gaze clinical but not unkind.

Dr. Armitage

It's important to manage expectations. The emotional blunting can be significant. Many patients describe it as feeling... insulated. But it's often the price of function.

You looked at the small, white square of paper. A lifeline. A sentence.