REMINISCENT

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: Aiden Meets Charlie (EDITED)

🚨Important A/N🚨
Again. I'm no medical professional, please seize from taking everything I put in the chapter as gospel truth. It's all mere research and I don't intend to mislead anyone.
Enjoy

Aiden's POV
I had gone home and told my parents about how I've been feeling. How I haven't been having good sleep and how I've been having nightmares and attacks.

They were both in shock. I didn't go into detail but I got the feeling that they knew. I didn't question them for the time being and decided I'd question them later on. I'm so tired of secrets

"Kairah, Joshua" he greeted

"Charlie" dad greeted back "Josh is just fine with me"

"Thank you for having us so suddenly, I know this is the time you normally have your group therapies. We got a recommendation saying you're the best" mom stated

"The person must have exaggerated but I appreciate it" he joked "please take a seat" he stated looking at dad and I

I silently scanned him, he looked too young to be as good as how I read him to be "so how may I help you" he said looking at his watch

"Well uh Aiden talked about wanting therapy. Uh what he said to us err- the reason he gave made us realize he needs to see someone to help him determine what's wrong" mom mumbled nervously

His brow slightly raised, it was barely noticeable. He then turned his attention to me with a smile "so Aiden, why don't you start from the beginning and tell me what the matter is and why you think you need therapy" he said taking out a book "don't worry this is just so i determine the possible issues. it has weirdly proven to show patients I'm listening and show them i can't mix my patients issues and diagnosis up" he joked, then added "everything you say here is protected, is that fine with you?"

We all nodded "ok go ahead"

"It started with a dream..." I had explained everything to him in detail. It was the first time I had said it in front of my parents but I dared not to spare them a glance.

I explained all the horror in that nightmare, the woman's bones piercing through her flesh, I explained her husband's stained shirt, the girl's screams, the drivers death, the people's pain and how I hopeless watched it all happen over and over again.

Mom sobbed next to me like she was watching it play right in front of her but I kept going. Something about this man made me keep talking so I did. Also, I wanted to find out why all this was happening, I wanted to know if he could at least give me a peace of mind with answers to questions I've longed for

After everything, I didn't tell him about Ashley. For some reason that didn't leave my lips. Maybe because I felt my parents would force her to talk to me because they somehow knew her, i didn't want to risk her hating me even more than she already does, so I decided it wasn't the best time to talk about it until I meet him again

"I thought maybe therapy will help me with these nightmares. I don't know what they mean. I also feel like I'm forgetting something like a memory" I sighed

He nodded in thought. He passed mom tissues and passed her a bottle of water before he spoke "judging by your reaction you didn't know any of this?" He asked rhetorically

They both nodded. I couldn't see dads face from where I sat but I knew he was sad, I kind of felt guilty for not telling them

"Do you know what subconscious trauma is?" I shook my head "this is focused on certain patterns or beliefs or habits which are developed as a response to a traumatic event one may not recognize or remember"

I furrowed my brows "ok what has that got to do with anything"

"Your asthmatic attacks. I'm thinking it could be a response to a traumatic event you experienced or witnessed. I'm sure you weren't born with it" he looked at my parents for a response. They shook their heads.

I frowned "So is it possible that my subconscious mind can be making this up to get me to try and remember some traumatic event I might have witnessed or experienced, which could be totally unrelated to this event I keep dreaming about?"

"Well your subconscious mind makes everything you say or do fit a pattern consistent with your self concept more like your 'master program'. Your mind could be using this as a way to get you to indeed remember a traumatic event but it's on rare occasions that it could be trying to remember something unrelated to that. Were you involved in accident or witnessed one?"

Mom's breath hitched and I shot her a curious look "well no, not that I know of anyway. The only accident I know of was of my parents and I wasn't there at the time so I couldn't have witnessed it. The other accident I remember was one I have when playing football, I got a bad hit to the chest then hit my head on the ground and fell unconscious and woke up in the hospital, it caused my asthma due to the trauma to my lungs. I don't remember much on that day"

He his eyes darted to my parents curiously then back to me. "Ok I'm going to have to end this session here for now" he smiled, his serious demeanor gone in a flash

I was confused, why did he decide to end it right here "I need to analyze certain things before I can properly answer your questions for now" I nodded with a frown

"But here's one thing I'm sure you want to know. The brain is a very complicated organ" his lips formed a straight line "Researchers around the world find that the neural system actively remove memories, which suggests that forgetting may be the brain's default mode. Memories don't just fade away on their own. Our brains are constantly editing our recollections, from the very first moment those memories form. With time it is possible to get a clear picture of a memory your brain wants you to remember. It couldn't be the exact memory but an edited version of the memory"

He bore his green eyes into mine "however... if the brain registers an overwhelming trauma, then it can essentially block the memory in a process we call dissociation or detachment from reality. The brain will attempt to protect itself"

I was at a loss for words. Was this dream an edited memory? But why is it having Ashley in it "Dr Charles I'd like to have another session with you soon. I still have lots of questions" we all stood up to leave

"I actually want to recommend you to come for cognitive behavioral therapy which is is a type of talking therapy that aims to help you manage problems by changing how you think and act. We will have one on one meetings as well." He shook my dad's hand and showed us the way out

"Before you go Aiden. Here's a prescription for melatonin. It's a sleeping pill" he pulled out the prescription from the book he was taking down notes in. He's good I'll give him that "head over to the pharmacy, I indicated that you have asthma so they'll give you the proper dosage and instructions"

"Thank you" mom said when I headed out to follow dad

"We need to have a talk about why Aiden isn't able to remember certain things and why you're hiding it from him. There's a reason I kept you next to him, normally my patient's companion, parents or what not sit away from them" he whispered to mom. "I think I've figured out everything but I need to talk to you and your husband to confirm my suspicions...how did I figure it out? It's my job and I'm not the best for nothing. Have a great day" he beamed at her before turning to leave in the opposite direction from where we were going

I looked at his retreating figure and thought 'this is going to be the beginning of a long eye opening journey filled with mixed emotions'

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A/N
Hope y'all taking good care of your mental health
Asides that *gives goofy smile*
See you in the next chapter❤️