70 Sleep With Me (1/2)
”No, Sebastian told me your symptoms but never really spoke about the trauma. I didn't think it would be brought up during our primary session. We haven't created a rapport for you to tell me what happened to you and I certainly don't want to create a plan without getting a detailed note on your symptoms. But I will have to tell you that psychiatrists aren't privy to case files. You'll have to tell me yourself.” He smiled reassuringly.
”Have you heard of Alicia Williams?” she asked, leaning forward.
”I believe so. Notorious cannibal and serial killer. Quite a few police officers had to come by and get it off their shoulders.” He shook his head. ”Were you a victim?” he asked. He must have known. But he didn't let the answer show.
He was testing me. To see if I considered myself a victim.
I juggled my options. To lie and say that I was a victim or reveal what I really thought. I chose the middle ground. ”Yes, she captured me from my house after murdering my whole family, including my father who was the lead investigator in the case. She also made me watch as she tortured the subsequent victims and tried to get me involved. I cooked for her. I also ate the same things she did.”
I had to smile to stop the real expression on my face from revealing.
”And what did you eat?” No, he didn't ask what she ate. He asked me what I ate.
”Humans. Human meat. I ate human meat.”
There was silence. It took a moment for the room to get back into the normal place.
”Okay, that will be all for today. For now, I'll be telling you something you already know. You do have PTSD. There are other underlying issues that I need to discover and help you come to terms with, as well. I'll give a full plan to you the next time we meet.”
He scribbled some more on the notepad. ”We'll be meeting twice a week for the first few months. Then, as we progress, I'll make the frequency of the sessions lesser. But the most pressing aspect of this is your lack of sleep.”
”My lack of sleep?” I raised my brow.
”Your source of protein is mainly from non-meat products and you work very hard. You have a fairly healthy body right now but without sleep, your body will crash. Lack of sleep also worsens the symptoms. Therefore, we need to help you sleep.”
”Are you going to prescribe me a medicine?” she asked, frowning.
”I'm not a fan of prescribing medicine when there is no need for it. Right now, we will get you under a routine.”
He wrote some more down. ”Do you know how a baby falls asleep?”
”From what I have heard, rarely when it is needed.” A smile curled at the corner of my lips.
”First, don't look at anything work-related or any form of entertainment an hour before you plan on going to sleep. Make your bed yourself and take a cold shower. Follow your night routine to the dot and then lay down on bed and close your eyes.”
”Does that help?” I asked skeptically.
”Studies show that it does,” he reassured. ”You'll have a lot of bad thoughts. Write them down. We'll review them in the next session, but don't give up on falling asleep. Just lay there in the darkness. Listening to calming music or a podcast also helps if you don't look at the screen.”