The Sopranos his familywife Carmela, daughter Meadow, son A. J., and mother Liviawith those of the Mafia family he controls. Because he is prone to bouts of clinical depression, after a fainting spell (triggered by a panic attack), Tony's physician refers him for treatment from psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), in the show's first episode. She treats Tony to the best of her ability despite the fact that they routinely clash over various issues. Melfi is usually thoughtful, rational and humane—a stark contrast to Tony's personality. Tony, a serial womanizer, occasionally divulges his sexual attraction to Dr. Melfi; Melfi harbors some
The Second Coming (The Sopranos) suicide attempt, Silvio, Patsy, and Carlo attempt to comfort him with stories of their own children's tough times. When Tony tells Carmela he feels depressed, an argument between them erupts. Carmela blames A.J.'s condition on Tony's family's genetic predisposition towards depression. In Dr. Melfi's office, Tony says he is ashamed of his son because of his suicide attempt and dismisses Melfi's suggestion that A.J. subconsciously didn't really want to die. Tony talks about the "Sopranos curse" that Carmela mentioned but refuses to shoulder all the blame. Melfi tells him Tony should understand his son, since he has dealt with depression