Outpatient - A Story of Horror and Madness by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 7

Nancy visited as often as her schedule would allow. Sometimes they"d go on a small hike and other times just to sit and talk. She scolded Catherine fiercely upon discovering that she had taken up smoking.“Are you fucking nuts?! Do you know what that shit can do to you?!” Nancy asked with both shock and disbelief. Catherine shrugged her shoulders a bit.

“It calms my nerves,” she replied, sounding as though she was trying to convince herself more than Nancy.

“So, what's going on?” Nancy said. She was concerned that her friend might be falling apart again.

“The psych visits are getting a little more complicated.”

Catherine tried to be vague.

“What do you mean, complicated?” Nancy

inquired.

“Well, for a long time, my sessions have been nothing more than things like where I am on the mood scale, how I'm feeling, and medication side effects. Things have been simple. But now, it just seems like the questions are getting more complicated. My psychiatrist has been asking about things like hearing voices and smelling smoke. And he"s started asking questions about my past and my parents. Shit! I got sick in my early thirties. What does my past have to do with anything?” Catherine complained.

“Maybe he sees something that you're not

picking up on. Have you asked him about it?” Nancy asked.

“I'm not sure I want to. I guess I'm afraid of what he might say. And I'm not fucking going back to AMHI!” Catherine said in an agitated voice.

“You don't know that that's going to happen.” Nancy tried to be reassuring.

“I know, but I'm scared.” Catherine's voice began to quiver a bit.

“So when is your next appointment?” Nancy asked.

“Tomorrow,” Catherine answered.

“Promise me you'll ask,” Nancy pleaded. Catherine nodded her head, trying unsuccessfully to hold back a torrent of tears while crossing her arms into her stomach and rocking back and forth slightly. Nancy stayed with her for another twenty minutes, holding her hand and trying to be reassuring. But secretly, Nancy had some serious doubts about Catherine's state of mind, as well as the direction of her treatment.