 Memoirs of My Nervous Illness is based on the 1903 journal written by Daniel Paul Schreber, a distinguished German judge, while incarcerated in an asylum under the watch of the obsessive Dr. Emil Flechsig (Bob Cucuzza). Schreber s insanity was characterized by startling delusions, all chronicled in his journal, including a belief that he directly communicated with God through a secret "nerve language," and a desire to transform himself into a woman. The film depicts the eccentric man s increasing descent into his alternate universe of supernatural powers. Meanwhile, Flechsig struggles to maintain control of his patient, finding himself both attracted and repelled by Schreber s femininity. The narrative culminates in a courtroom plea by Schreber for his freedom from the asylum.