EXCERPT FROM PTSD CHAPTER
WHEN SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE DEEPLY DIES ON YOU, EVEN IF IT WAS FROM A LONG ILLNESS RATHER THAN FROM A SUDDEN EVENT, IT CAN REALLY TAKE ITS TOLL ON A PERSON. SAD SAM WAS COMPLETELY TORN TO PIECES WHEN HIS WIFE OF SEVENTEEN YEARS DIED OF CANCER AFTER A YEAR OF SUFFERING WITH THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE. SAD SAM DESCRIBED THE MISERY THAT HE WENT THROUGH. "I WAS REALLY HELPLESS TO DO ANYTHING FOR HER. I PRAYED TO GOD, BUT SHE DIED ANYWAY. THEY SAY GOD ALWAYS HEARS YOUR PRAYERS UP IN HEAVEN. WELL, I PRAYED LIKE A MOTHER FUCKER, BUT SHE DIED ANYWAY. I GUESS GOD WAS UP THERE PLAYING NINTENDO AT THE TIME AND DIDN'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED."
"BACK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN. I HAD IT ALL. I HAD A GOOD JOB. I MARRIED THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS. SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, SO SWEET, SO UNDERSTANDING. I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HER. I HAD KIDS ONLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED THEM. SHE WANTED TO CELEBRATE OUR LOVE TOGETHER WITH CHILDREN. I DIDN'T WANT ANY KIDS AT ALL. BUT BECAUSE OF HER, I DECIDED TO HAVE THEM. SEX IS A MUCH BETTER CELEBRATION OF LOVE THAN CHILDREN. YOU KNOW THAT TWO IS COMPANY BUT THREE IS A CROWD. I NEVER WANTED THE EXCESS BAGGAGE OF CHILDREN, BUT I DID IT FOR HER BECAUSE I LOVED HER SO DEEPLY. BUT NOW THAT SHE'S DEAD, WHY THE FUCK WOULD I WANT TO HAVE KIDS AROUND? KIDS ARE A REAL PAIN IN THE ASS. THEY ARE SO NEEDY AND THEY DRAIN MONEY OUT OF YOU. WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR ANYTHING ELSE. SO I JUST PACKED UP MY STUFF AND LEFT. I GAVE THE OLDEST ONE THE ADDRESS OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICE, AND HEADED OUT THE DOOR WITH ALL OF MY THINGS. I ONLY PUT UP WITH THE KIDS BECAUSE I WANTED TO STAY WITH MY WOMAN AND GET SOME EVERY NIGHT. BUT NOW I HAVE NO REASON TO WASTE MY LIFE TRYING TO RAISE THESE LITTLE MONSTERS."
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TREAT THESE PATIENTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T LIKE SEEING THEM GET EMOTIONAL. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I TOLD YOU EARLIER ABOUT HOW I GOT KICKED OUT OF ONE JOB FOR SAYING THE WRONG THING. EVEN IF COMPASSIONATE WORDS CAN FLOW FROM YOUR MOUTH LIKE WATER DOWN A RIVER, SOOTHING WORDS AREN'T ENOUGH BECAUSE THE PATIENT'S LOSS IS STILL THERE. SO TREATMENT MUST MOVE BEYOND THIS POINT IN ORDER TO HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF SUCCESS.
A FEW YEARS BACK, I HAD A REAL PRETTY PATIENT THAT SUFFERED FROM THIS DISORDER. HER NAME WAS TRAUMATIZED TAMMY. SHE WAS ONLY IN THERAPY BRIEFLY. (I DIDN'T SCARE HER OFF OR ANYTHING. I HAD A FEW PATIENTS THAT QUIT THERAPY ABRUPTLY BECAUSE I WAS HITTING ON THEM THOUGH.) SHE WAS EXTREMELY DISTRAUGHT BECAUSE ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER, HER ONE DAY OLD BABY HAD DIED. SHE WAS SOBBING LIKE CRAZY WHILE SHE TOLD HER STORY TO ME. "OUR BEAUTIFUL NEWBORN BABY DIED THE DAY AFTER IT WAS BORN. SHE HAD CANCER. IT HAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT HER ENTIRE BODY VERY QUICKLY. ME AND MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND HAD ONLY BEEN MARRIED FOR A YEAR AND WE WANTED TO HAVE A CHILD TO RAISE SO BADLY. [PROBABLY NO PUN INTENDED ON HER PART] THIS JUST DEVASTATED US. NOW HE JUST DRINKS EVERYDAY, AND SITS IN FRONT OF THE TV WATCHING GAME SHOWS."
WHILE TRAUMATIZED TAMMY'S HUSBAND SEEMED TO HAVE DEVELOPED MENTAL PROBLEMS TOO, HE WASN'T THE ONE SHOWING UP FOR TREATMENT WITH A CHECK IN HAND TO PAY ME FOR THERAPY. SO I FOCUSED ON TREATING HER. THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN SAY IN THIS SITUATION TO STOP TRAUMATIZED TAMMY FROM CRYING. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO EASE HER PAIN EXCEPT MAYBE TO GET HER ADDICTED TO HEROIN, BUT I COULD GET SUED FOR THAT. I HAD TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN ORDER TO TREAT HER PROBLEM. I TOLD HER TO GO TO THE MALL, BUY SOME SLINKY LINGERIE, AND SET UP A ROMANTIC EVENING WITH HER HUSBAND. I TOLD HER "YOU COULD BE ON YOUR WAY TO HAVING ANOTHER BABY IN NO TIME. EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE."
SHE KEPT ON CRYING PROFUSELY FOR THE NEXT WEEK, BUT AFTER THAT, SHE TOOK MY ADVICE AND SET UP A ROMANTIC NIGHT WITH HER HUSBAND. SHE WASN'T GONNA NAG OR ANYTHING. SHE EVEN LET HIM DO SOME ANAL. NINE MONTHS LATER SHE HAD TWINS. SO SHE CAME OUT ONE AHEAD. I MAY NOT BE GHANDI, BUT I CAN COME UP WITH SOME SIMPLE, YET INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO REAL LIFE PROBLEMS. I FELT SO GOOD BECAUSE I HAD ANOTHER CURE UNDER MY BELT. SAMPLES FROM THE WONDERFUL BOOK, ABNORMAL PEEPLE — DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
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