Processing trauma takes time. Time Varian Isra and Ren do not have. In the role of soldier for hire, there is no respite until the job is done, and the war in the Dominos Mountains is far from over. Following Isra's capture and torture, Nathaniel Dex ordered her to return to action immediately. Nathaniel Dex wants her back on the battlefield, where he can profit from her fury.
but her condition is far from stable, and if she releases her anger against the deck's forces, the results could be devastating. You are listening to a Dex Legacy Season 3 Kickstarter special release, Shadows of Trauma. A brand new interlude that would follow Episode 2, The Hunt. Starring Charlie Richards and Emily Inkpen. Otto? Yes, Ren? Can you find me information on how to cope with trauma? How to get through it?
You're asking for analysis on your current state of mind. I... I guess so. And solutions? Yes. For me. And Israel. I... I need to help her. But I don't know where to start. It's just so much like what happened in that cave. She and... But then I... We're not the same. I... I don't know what to do. You are correct in presuming that both of your struggles are related to trauma. You have been through a lot in the last three weeks alone.
This is your first deployment and you're only 15 years old. And that makes a difference? It does. Your prefrontal cortex is in development and will not be fully realised until you are 25 ancestral years or 29 planet years old. So our brains are literally... Unable to deal with this. Any brain has struggled to process your experiences. You have been traumatised from infancy and certain types of trauma are familiar to you.
But you will still find new traumatic events difficult to process. I... I just need to know I'm not going insane. You are not going insane. How do you know? Because an insane person would not know to ask such a reasonable question. Right. Okay. And... and Isra? Isra is not going insane either.
That's reassuring. I have found this from the seed data. Accepting what has happened and learning to live with it is not a simple process. You may need to grieve. Do not pressure yourself into feeling better straight away. Give yourself time. Time? Well, how much time? Multiple sources agree that the amount of time is dependent on the individual. Great. Great.
Uh, alright. What else can I do? Talk about the event. It is natural to want to avoid things that will remind you of what happened. But research shows that talking about it and your feelings can help with recovery. Avoiding memories has proved to be detrimental. Uh-huh. I'm sure we'll have a great time with that. What's next? Speak to people who have faced similar situations.
It can help to share common feelings and experiences. Ah, uh, Otto, can you give me the names of everyone on Dex Island who has gone through similar traumatic events? All conversations are private and encrypted. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I thought so. What else have you got? Ask for support. No. Isra would rather slice her hand off than ask for anything. And who would we ask anyway? Would you like me to continue? Yeah, okay. Leaning on friends and family can help you to cope.
They may be able to help with practical tasks, or just share time and normal activities. Normal activities? Like slaughtering a nation? Sure, why not on it? Avoid spending time alone. If you live alone, consider moving in with family or a friend. Stick to your routine. Keep to your regular rhythm as much as possible. You might find habits like eating and exercise change, and you might find it hard to sleep.
Yeah, sleep's the main problem, but we have drugs for that. We have drugs for everything. Consider seeking mental health support. What's that? Some find it helpful to talk to a doctor or specialist, but take your time over this and don't rush into it. Notice how you're feeling. If you don't feel like you are improving over time, you should talk to your doctor.
Dr. Devak. He showed up to inject another chip into her spine and got out of here as fast as possible. Are these tips really useful for people like us? Ask for support from your employer. Oh, no, no way. That's not happening. It says here that your workplace may have support systems in place.
If you tell them what happened, they can be aware of how you are feeling and make adjustments that will minimise your stress. Stress? Stress like having to finish a wall for an idiot client? Sure. What else? Be careful. Following a traumatic event, accidents are more common. Be careful at home and when driving. Try not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs as a way to cope. They will not help in the long run. Do stims count?
They would class stims as drugs used to help you concentrate and maintain consciousness, necessary in your current circumstances, but it would be easy to become reliant on them to maintain normal functionality. Well, we're not giving them up. Not- Yet, at least. Wren, did you find this advice useful? Um, yes and no. I can keep an eye on some of them, but... Otto?
What do I do? You are doing well, Ren. From what I have observed, you have been making steady progress following your own capture and torture, and you have been supporting Isra since hers. Supporting. Yeah. I... I need to make her better. According to all sources, it can take many months, if not years. What?
What if we don't have months and years? What if we need to be back in shape fast or we'll be sent to the lab for the rest of our lives? There are various medications and emotional suppressants. No. We've got enough medication clogging up our bodies. The last thing we need is more of it clogging up our brains. May I make an observation? Sure. Why not?
According to the symptoms I have observed following your abductions and experiences of torture, you are both suffering from different forms of a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Well, with a name like that, it sounds likely. You are both displaying feelings of shame and guilt regarding your trauma. You both suffer from nightmares and you are having difficulty sleeping. Your emotions are more erratic than they were and Isra is finding it hard to connect emotionally.
As did you after your capture. I did? You did. You were frustrated by your inability to function at your usual level, and you felt resentful towards those you were forced to rely on. You were angry with Isra and Varian for not understanding, and you refused to engage with the medical professionals offering you treatment. Yeah. Okay. You got me. However...
You seem to be improving. It has been 26 days since you were taken prisoner. It feels longer. Much longer. I didn't know you were watching that closely. I am always here, Ren. That's... That's weirdly comforting. We've always had nightmares. About the lab. It is likely that you have post-traumatic stress disorder related to your experiences on Dex Island as well. Oh, brilliant. Have you experienced any flashbacks? Yes. Can you describe them to me?
I was just down in the abandoned temple. I was walking and suddenly I was back in the room. Did you experience physical sensations such as pain, sweating, feeling sick? Trembling. All of the above. Some people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders try to avoid triggering such reactions. This is called emotional numbing.
It is thought that this does not help the ongoing condition. In order to help yourself move on it is necessary to address the trauma. And how do I do that? If you will not consider medication... You must talk about it. Revisit it. Allow yourself to think about it. All of this will help. There are other treatments, but none of them are available on Dex Island. Would you like me to tell you about them?
No. Not right now. What's the point in knowing there's help out there we can never get? But thanks, Otto. You are welcome, Ren. Otto. It is hard to know what will work for any individual. Some victims of assault take up a type of physical training so as to feel stronger and better able to defend themselves. When they are out in the world. Yeah. I think Iz has that down. It is indeed unlikely that such a method would help her. She's still strong on the outside. She's killing and fighting.
It's... it's the inside that's hurt. Give her time, Rin. Only two days have passed since the event. The first stage of your recovery took two weeks. It did? Yes. Huh. Alright? Thanks. You're welcome, Ruth. In this Season 3 Kickstarter special release, you heard Charlie Richards as Rendex and Emily Inkpen as Auto, with music by Alan Stroud.
The Deck's Legacy is written by me, Emily Inkpen, and produced by Alternative Stories. If you enjoyed that interlude, please follow the link below and support our Kickstarter. We have until October 17th to raise enough to make season three a reality and we need your help. While we're here, we'd just like to say that while Wren doesn't have the option of talking to a friend or professional, you do.
Wherever you live, there will be services offering mental health support. Don't suffer in silence. Please talk to someone. For further information, we've included a link in the show notes. With love from everyone. on the Dex Legacy team. The Fable and Folly Network, where fiction producers flourish. Mount Absalom. A community. A heritage. A home. The green jewel in the majestic crown of Ohio.
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