The next morning, Discord kept his promise and made an appointment for Fluttershy to see the psychiatrist that very afternoon. In a way, Fluttershy felt relieved that she was going to be seen sooner rather than later.
The waiting room was decent in size and was mostly empty. Not including Fluttershy and Discord, there were only three other ponies waiting to be seen. When it came time for Fluttershy to see the psychiatrist, Discord told her he'd wait for her in the hall while she went in. As much as he wanted to go in with her to provide some comfort, he knew that she would not confess everything if he was there. Especially since he knew her nightmares involved him in some way...
"Miss Fluttershy?" The receptionist called.
Fluttershy looked nervously at Discord. He gave her a reassuring smile and a kiss on the cheek.
"You can do this darling, no matter what happens, I'll be here for you." Discord whispered.
Fluttershy gave him a small smile, then took a deep breath and followed the receptionist down a long hallway.
Discord sighed as he watched his marefriend's rosy pink tail disappear down the corridor. Praying inside his heart that whatever was causing her to have these nightmares wasn't too bad...
Fluttershy followed the mare to one of the available rooms. She opened the door and stepped aside for Fluttershy to enter.
"The doctor will be with you shortly." She said.
Fluttershy gave a brisk nod as she walked in. Once she entered, the mare closed the door softly behind her.
The first thing Fluttershy noticed as she walked in was that it was definitely more homier than most other doctor offices. It was a lot bigger than she had originally thought. It put Fluttershy's nervous mind at ease to know she'd be revealing everything in what felt like somepony's living room rather an intimidating doctor's office.
There was a soft creamy chaise lounge in the center with an armchair parallel to it. There were also two other armchairs sitting across from each other nearby. In the left corner of the room was a simple bookcase filled with books and volumes on the topic. There were several paintings on the wall; the first one showed a vase of colorful flowers, another was a bowl of fruit, and the last painting was of two birds sitting in a tree that was blooming with white blossoms. There was a cozy fireplace against the wall to one side. Last but not least, near the back of the room, sat an extremely organized desk.
Something Twilight would appreciate. Fluttershy thought with a giggle.
Fluttershy's ear twitched when she heard the door click open, She turned around to see a unicorn stallion walk in. His coat was a very pale yellow, almost white, with a slicked back mane and tail that were two different hues of dark blue. He had bright green eyes, and his cutie mark showed a brain inside of a speech bubble.
"Good afternoon Miss Fluttershy." He said politely. "I'm Dr. Rubix and I'll be with you today." He held out his hoof to the chaise lounge. "Please, if you would be so kind as to lay down."
Fluttershy looked at the chaise lounge hesitantly.
"Um…would it be alright if I sat in one of the armchairs instead?" She asked quietly, but still loud enough for Dr. Rubix to hear.
"Of course. If that will make you feel more comfortable." He said with a smile.
Fluttershy made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs while Dr. Rubix sat in the armchair across from her. He levitated a clipboard and quill from the desk near the back of the room with his magic. Once they were levitating in front of him he looked at Fluttershy, quill at the ready.
"So, what seems to be troubling you?" He asked kindly.
Fluttershy was starting to feel less nervous around him. He was so kind and patient that Fluttershy was actually starting to feel more relaxed and comfortable with him. She took a deep breath and began to tell him everything that had been plaguing her mind for the past week and a half. He listened to her intently as he used his magic to scribble down notes on his clipboard. She told him about her nightmares every night and how she hadn’t been eating or sleeping because of them. When she was done, she waited patiently as he finished writing down some notes. He glanced over it one last time before levitating them back to the desk. He then looked at her.
"It seems to me that you have a severe case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD."
By the sound of it, Fluttershy could guess what it meant, but she thought she'd ask anyway.
"What is that?"
Dr. Rubix paused for a minute. "It is a condition in which a pony can develop after they experience a traumatic event. PTSD can develop months, or even years after the event occurs. If the case is severe enough, such as yourself, symptoms can appear as soon as days or weeks after said event."
"So, what you're saying is…is that have this..PTSD..from when Tirek was here and…Discord betrayed us to him?"
"Precisely." Dr. Rubix said with a nod.
"Is it curable?" Fluttershy asked.
Dr. Rubix sighed. "Well, as with most mental illnesses, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, There is no cure. However, the symptoms of it can be manageable with the right medication."
He got up from the chair and walked over to the bookcase. He lifted several books with his magic and placed them in Fluttershy's lap.
"These books should help you understand more about what to expect from PTSD and what you can do to manage it."
Fluttershy picked up the books from her lap. The first one she picked up had the title, What Is PTSD? 3 Steps to Healing Trauma.
The second one read, It's Not You, It's What's Happened To You.
And the third one was titled, PTSD: Horror in the Mind: The psychology of post-traumatic stress disorder, and the ethical way to lift it.
"I'll prescribe you some anti-anxiety medication temporarily, since they have a tendency to become addictive. I'll also prescribe you prazosin to help your nightmares become less frequent and to help you sleep better. Because your case is so severe, you are going to need prazosin long term." Dr. Rubix said as he walked to his desk. Fluttershy put the books Dr. Rubix recommended into her saddlebag as she waited for him to fill the prescription. She thought about Discord, if he knew he was the one who caused her condition…
It will kill Discord. He'll never forgive himself if he found out. It was hard enough to get him to forgive himself for the whole incident...
Fluttershy thought miserably to herself.
Which was exactly why she wasn't going to tell him...