Do You Believe in Daphne?

Esmé Weijun Wang is a writer who gradually became convinced that she was dead. She was experiencing a very rare condition known as Cotard’s Delusion. No matter how many times someone tried to present evidence of her own existence, Esmé did not believe them.

Produced by Daniel Gross. Mixing and original score by Bob Carlson

Esmé Weijun Wang is an award-winning author and advocate. She studied creative writing and psychology at Yale and Stanford, and received her MFA from the top-tier Creative Writing program at the University of Michigan. She’s the other of two books,

Dr. Hans Debruyne is a psychiatrist from Ghent in Belgium. He has treated patients with Cotard’s Delusion, and has written extensively about the condition.

Esmé Wang

Photo by Esmé Weijun Wang

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Photos that Esmé Wang associates with her Cotard’s Delusion

Photos by Esmé Weijun Wang