un: ulysses | video

[restingstitchface]

[On the latest feed: a man with combed hair, a clean face, a mismatched suit and a pair of rimless glasses. Video is streaming from an office where one might spot a painting of an anguished man. He closes his eyes and fixes his lenses on his nose, looking away while leaning forward. His preference is for messaging, but today he is showing his face. He inhales in a calm and controlled manner. Facial cues encourage trust. He prefers to remain unobserved, but this should encourage a positive impression.

Unless you’re Batman, apparently.]

Well, that was a terrible couple of weeks.

In any case, my apologies for the intrusion. I was managing the aftermath and hesitant to reach out until today. I have nothing further to add except that I understand you might feel nervous. But if you resist those feelings, you will have to face them again, and when they catch you…

[He swallows his sentence and focuses on his reason for posting, grounding himself in the present moment by inhaling.]

Back home I treat people for support with their mental health. I had excellent resources there but here I can offer nothing but a listening ear. Perhaps you would like to take me up on that? It’s not like you need insurance and sometimes it’s good to talk.

Feel free to contact me. I'm here to help.

Comments

[nottheboss]

Hah, medical history, yeah. I was in the Army, so I've had every vaccination under the sun. No allergies.

I'm infected with the Wild Fire virus though. Means I'll reanimate after I'm dead and hunt the living.

[restingstitchface]

Ah, I see the army remains notoriously cautious about vaccinating their soldiers.

[Right?]

In any case, I imagine your condition makes you extra cautious?

[nottheboss]

Means I sure as shit don't want to die, yeah. We don't need this place collapsing like my world did.

[restingstitchface]

What makes you think that will happen? I understand your concern but this world is different to ours in several respects.

[nottheboss]

Gotta be cautious. No one thought my world would end but it did.

[restingstitchface]

That makes me want to ask "How does that make you feel" for a second. But I respect our situation enough not to compromise myself like that.

Perhaps the better thing to ask is I trust you have matters in hand? You seem capable.

[nottheboss]

Yeah it's handled. People know what to do with me if it goes south. But you wanted my medical history and that's the big fucking flag you should know about.

What else do you need to know?

[restingstitchface]

Well, you shared your adverse reaction to Ambien. Is there anything similar I should know about? Any other allergies?

[nottheboss]

Cocaine makes me itch but I've got a feeling you weren't going to set me up with that anyway.

You make people nervous, doc. Did you know that?

[restingstitchface]

Of course I do. Psychiatrists have a bad reputation thanks to rumour and popular culture, especially when it comes to films and literature. Plus I'm not an gregarious fellow. People tend to have the wrong impression because of that.

[nottheboss]

You ever hurt anyone?

[restingstitchface]

Well, I've restrained people who were a threat to themselves and others. When necessary, I made sure those who needed stopping couldn’t hurt anyone else. I've also hurt others personally, but only after they chose to attack me. Sometimes, you have to defend yourself.

[From bullies and those who victimise and oppress you. Those who hurt you because you are vulnerable. In short? Punch bullies in the mouth.]

[nottheboss]

Sounds fair to me.

[More noble than Bossie can say of himself, since he's murdered whole families, down to fetuses still growing in the womb.]

Why am I being warned away from you?

[restingstitchface]

People fear those they cannot control. My name in other worlds carries negative connotations. But those familiar with alternate versions of me cannot understand me, so they repeat familiar stories to make sense of everything. People judge what they don’t understand. It's something most people have experienced. It's easier than facing the truth about others.

[nottheboss]

[That all makes sense. It goes a little ways to easing his own suspicions, at least.]

You're one of the lucky ones who exists in multiple worlds, huh?

[restingstitchface]

Unfortunately.

It's strange, though. We have no evidence of alternate reality back home. Nothing but science and philosophical theories and popular literature.

[nottheboss]

Yeah, nothing like that back home either. Just movies and shitty tv shows about it.

So there's a chance another you could turn up here, huh?

[restingstitchface]

Well, that depends on how many universes there are.

There could be more than one, even.

[nottheboss]

Anyone here from your real world?

[restingstitchface]

No.

[And that is the truth.]

[nottheboss]

[Well that sheds some doubt on whoever Harold's source was. Someone familiar with Crane but not from his own world.]

Well. You think you can help me, doc?

[restingstitchface]

Do you want my honest opinion? I cannot promise complete relief. Everything depends on our work and your response to medication. But I can promise that at this point, I can help you to manage your symptoms and find some measure of relief.

I will note psychiatry is my field, psychopharmacology my specialty. This means extensive training in psychiatric medication. Should that be of interest to you.

[nottheboss]

...I know someone with pretty bad ptsd. You saying you could mask me drugs that help with that?

[He's skeptical]

[restingstitchface]

Paroxetine. Sertraline. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs. Both are considered the main medications for treating PTSD. Fluoxetine likewise has strong evidence for being acceptable treatment. There are SNRIs like venlafaxine and prazosin for symptoms like nightmares. Though I might consider Prazosin for those plus sleep difficulties. Then there are antipsychotics, used for more severe cases like the one you describe.

[It's a lot, he knows.]

Ah, sorry. I understand all that sounds rather bland. Suffice to say, I am practised enough to create something that could be put to use. But there would need to be a long and studious process of analysis, not to mention the collection of results, evidence...

And I wouldn't offer anything without therapy.

[nottheboss]

[He's quiet, listening to all that. Names he vaguely recognizes. Old world names from when the world could still treat mental wounds.]

Okay. Okay, I'm in then. Patch me up, doc.