In 'The Trick is to Keep Breathing', Janice Galloway takes us into the mind of drama teacher Joy Stone, as she struggles with mental illness following the death of her lover, Michael.
Joy informs the reader that she goes to see Dr Stead:
too often and feels bad about it
She has written down what she wants explained in capital letters, but sitting face to face with him, she cannot speak, feeling patronised and intimidated.
He unhelpfully refers to the pills he prescribes as red things
, yellow things
and green things
and fails to explain what these are for. Joy leaves intimidated, frustrated and dissatisfied.