Psychological Assessment Interview Transcript

Patient: Odysseus, the conqueror of Troy, the son of Laertes of Ithaca

Date: 2-25-11
DOB: 12-25-00
Possible Ailment: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Doctor: Patient name: Odysseus. War Veteran of the Battle of Troy. Commander
for the Greeks and King of Ithaca. Today is the 25th of February and
Odysseus will be here any minute for his psychological evaluation. He
claims to have been exhibiting signs of PTSD so we will discuss that as a
possible diagnosis.
Odysseus: Good day, Doctor, how are you?
Doctor: I am very well, thank you Odysseus. Will you have a seat? And then we
will begin. I’m not much for foreplay, so let’s jump straight to it. How
long were you fighting at Troy?
Odysseus: It was 10 years. 10 LONG years. I finally had to build a big ole’ horse
that all of us Achaians could hide inside. The Trojans literally welcomed
us into their city. But I don’t know. Something changed right then and
there. The minute we entered the city, this feeling of dread entered my
being and it hasn’t left ever since.
Doctor: How did you feel about the war? Were you there by choice?
Odysseus: Of course not. I had a beautiful wife and a baby at home. I was so
desperate to stay with my beloved child, to watch him grow, that I feigned
insanity. I tried to appear crazy to the Achaian army by sowing my fields
with salt so that the others wouldn’t force me to go to war. Then all of a
sudden, while I was using my plow to spread the salt, I realized that
someone had placed little Telemachos in front of the plow! I couldn’t run
over my own child, so I dropped the act and swerved out of the way! My
baby! My baby that I abandoned! Zeus Almighty!!
Doctor: Okay, Mr. Odysseus, please calm down. Telemachos will be just fine.
We’ll get through this together.
Odysseus: Ok, I’m sorry, doc. I kinda lost it there. I just can’t bear the thought that
my wittle Tele-tubby had to grow up without me.
Doctor: During the war, did you lose any close friends? Witness any particularly
revolting violence?
Odysseus: Are you kidding me!?! There was bloodshed everywhere! Gore and
carnage strewn across the blood-soaked battlefield! And as for my
friends, I lost my dear friend Achilles, the greatest warrior the Achaians
had ever seen! To see someone so strong, so seemingly indestructible fall
on the battlefield after being shot in the heel, of all things – oh, it was
awful. It made me realize that if a man as grand as Achilles could die so
easily, so could I. And then I’d never see my family again (sobs).
Doctor: After the war period, did you experience any behavioral changes?
Outbursts or numbness? Lack of sleep or changes in circadian rhythm?
Odysseus: Lack of sleep and flashbacks, yes, and some “numbness.” Dear god man,
I’ve been in the middle of a war zone for the past 10 years. When you’re
 out there knowing that it’s life or death, then you adapt in order to survive.
You become an indestructible being, one who has to be calm, cool,
calculated and unaffected. If you lose focus, if you give in to pain and
sorrow, then your soul will be claimed by the Lord of the Underworld.
And yes, I’ve had quite detailed flashbacks, as a matter of fact. When I
went to visit Alcinoos in the land of the Phaeacians and he bid me tell the
story of my journey home, I became lost in the memory. I told him all I
remembered about every creature I encountered, from the terrible goddess
Calypso to the savage Cyclopians.
Doctor: Interesting. Tell me a bit more about this Calypso. Were you two…you
know…romantically involved in any way?
Odysseus: Well, yes, but remember that I was trapped on her island. Everything that
occurred between us was out of my control. I regret every moment I spent
with her instead of my Penelopeia. That’s another thing that plagues me
day in and day out. It kills me that I lived with such a horrible witch while
I’m certain that my sweet wife was true to me. It all makes me so
anxious!!
Doctor: What would you say was your most horrific or scarring experience?
Odysseus: As a general, my number of battles in Troy was limited. The most scarring
experience that I have ever endured was being away from my family. Not
knowing what was to become of my wife or son. It was beyond
maddening! Especially when I set sail from Calypso’s island, only to be
tossed about on the stormy sea by Lord Poseidon! Thank Athena that Ino
was there to give me her veil – she alone prevented me from drowning!
Doctor: Did you experience flashbacks, unusual bodily aches or pains, thoughts of
suicide, guilt, or grief? Perhaps nostalgia?
Odysseus: Yes, quite frequently actually. Particularly “flashbacks.” It’s impossible to
scrub ten years’ worth of brutal wartime memories from one’s mind. I see
triggers everywhere. Every time a sword is drawn, or I listen to songs
lamenting the great triumphs of the Greeks, then it feels as though I’m
there again. I could barely contain my grief when in the house of Alcinoos
Demodocus sang of the war. Guilt, yes. Guilt that I am among the living
as opposed to the dead that have honorably served next to me like Achilles
and Agamemnon. You have no idea how often the thought to end it all
has crossed my mind. But I have to be stronger than that for the sake of
my family.
Doctor: What about repeated dreams or loss of interest in activities or hobbies that
you used to enjoy?
Odysseus: My sleeping opportunities are so rare that I tend to spend more time day
dreaming than sleep dreaming. And those dreams aren’t to be filled with
misery and woe if you know what I mean. When I do rest, however, such
as when I first landed in Alcinoos’ land, I sleep like the dead. My senses
of excitement and competiveness have also been somewhat dulled by the
wars. When I was staying in the house of Alcinoos, I was…er…overly
resentful to join in the games. I refused to participate until that crass
fellow Broadsea insulted my athleticism! A long time ago, I would never
 have turned down such an opportunity to display my skill. But the cruel
fates of the gods haven’t done much to raise my enthusiasm.
Doctor: How have you been coping with these problems? Have you been using
alcohol to cope or possibly discussing and retelling this story?
Odysseus: Does not every honorable Greek in existence drink as if the world’s about
to end on a daily basis? My alcohol consumption has not increased much
more than usual. Though it does seem to help. And yes, I’ve repeated my
story many times. Each time feels like a weight being lifted off my
shoulders…At least until Demodocos starts to sing again…
Doctor: We’re nearly done. Finally, do you have any plans or lingering dreams for
the future? Something to hold on to and to strive for?
Odysseus: Yes. The only reason that kept me from slitting my throat on the raft while
being tormented by Earthshaker was the wish for me to return home and to
see my native land and my wife and my Telemachos. For that goal, I will
strive and endure the gods’ wrath for another 20 years if I must.