Asking Alice S1:S2 “Cyberpsychosis and Neural Relays”
To view other news releases, visit MediaNet Archives.
Originally Published on July 24th, 2490
Orbital News Network/A MGM HoloNET Production
There's a catchy little intro, the logo, the canned applause that indicates there's a live holo-audience. Alice is a pleasant sounding woman with a smooth genial voice that doesn't seem to have a particular accent. She smiles a lot, and despite the very obvious augmentations, moves and talks very naturally. Throughout the show, and each topic, there's a very non-judgmental quality to her that tends to reinforce the image of an impartial, but compassionate scientist.
| “Our health is a process, it’s something we’re constantly monitoring, and for many of us, we’ve faced what seemed insurmountable challenges.” |
Alice spreads her own very visible cybernetic arms in demonstration.
| “And yet we continue to try to improve. To feel a little better, smile a little brighter, move a little more. And that’s what I’m here to help you do.” |
Alice takes a brief step to the side, to open up the screen behind her which displays charts, infographics and source information as she talks.
| “An issue very near to me, and one that I don’t think we understand as well as we should is what we’re going to be addressing today. Cyber-psychosis affects between three and ten percent of people who have been augmented to the point of being considered Cyborgs. It’s a sort of catchall term for any psychological condition originating from or exacerbated by cybernetic augmentations. There are several factors that can play a role in developing the condition, like traumatic augmentation - if someone’s augmentation was caused by violent trauma, and had to be done to save their life. If over 60 percent of their body mass is inorganic material. If they have an on-board self-sustaining artificial intelligence to manage their augments. If they have underlying mental health conditions resulting in abnormal brain chemistry prior to being augmented, (Alice seems to tick the various causes off on her fingers) There are several others. Having one, or even several of these additional risk factors is not a guarantee, and it becomes vital for any cyborg or augmented person to maintain healthy social and mental habits to further prevent the onset of C-Psych.” |
The screen behind her changes as she talks, there’s a sort of warmth and compassion in her voice when she talks about her patients.
| “Today, we’re going to meet Griff and his family. Griff is an augmented veteran with several commendations for service. In recent weeks, he’s lost contact with his family, and has been temporarily discharged from service due to the believed onset of C-psych symptoms. Before we show this interview, I’d like to let you know that Griff may seem scary, and the things we’re going to talk about are pretty dark. So let’s start out with Griffin’s sister, who contacted me for help.
The image cuts to the one on the screen behind Alice, where a video of a woman in an unremarkable apartment starts playing. This is Griff’s sister Jenny, who describes the changes in his personality after the IED incident that cost him his legs. While the Corporation he worked for was quick to offer the miracle of augmentation, it’s been a particular challenge for Griff. Phantom pains, and unresolved psychological traumas led him to chipping and drugs to try to feel better; alternating between BTLs and Kerezinkovs. He was discharged from duty pending a review by the medical team, but never came in for that review. After being reported AWOL, he was captured and detained, but after 6 months, he was released, though not declared fit for duty. Since then, he’s been homeless and wandering the streets of Cocoon Station until his sister found him and brought him home. After that, he’s continued to self-medicate, has had violent outbursts, and has been held in criminal detention facilities. He’s resisted psychological diagnosis and treatment. He still owes for his augmentation, but has not been cleared to return to duty. Jenny, a mousy heavier woman who does data entry for a logistics corporation, is afraid that Griff’s augments might be repossessed soon, which would, naturally, kill him. Alice is, she explains tearfully, his last best hope.” |
Alice introduces Griff, who is pretty much what one would expect. Only sort of cleaned up, he hides in a hoodie, keeping the hood up to try to hide his face. The thick mechanical legs peek out from under his jeans, and he tends to try to make himself seem small, which he is not. A fact exacerbated by Alice being a small woman. But she doesn’t treat him as though she’s afraid or trying to placate him.She lets him talk, as he reveals his devolved relationship with a woman after a miscarriage. He describes his augmented legs kicking or stopping on their own, and his input data occasionally being skewed to think things are there that are not. He had some good friends in the supply convoys that were recently attacked on Mars, and that just made everything so much worse for him. As he’s allowed to tell his story, he comes out of the hoodie a bit more, and more, until he’s pushed the hood fully back to reveal the plating in his skull and the reinforcements along his neck and spine. The augmentations are dramatic, and imposing looking.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Alice then reviews lab results, events of enhanced electrical activity that could indicate those false-input episodes. She’s kind and gentle as she talks to him about how there is no cure for Cyber-psychosis, but it can be treated, and managed, and if he’s willing to get into the program and stick with it, repo can be deferred, and maybe he could even go back to work. He resists at first.
When his sister speaks up to tell him this is his last shot, Alice stops her.
| “No. It’s not. This is the journey he’s on now. It’s going to be a lot of starts and stops, because that’s the nature of the condition. But if you’re going to put conditions on your love and support, then you’re just asking for the resentment and resistance that comes with that. Griff, treatment is up to you. And I’ll respect your wishes no matter what. Let’s look at the treatment plan together, and then shape it into something that will fit you." |
She introduces the Mitigator Chip, a device installed in a neurodeck that can help a patient identify false input from their augments. She talks about the drug protocols she suggests to help re-balance his brain chemistry. And she talks about intense therapy with an advanced AI Psychiatry program that will allow monitoring of his condition at regular intervals, as well as treatment through cognitive behavioral therapy. Griff resists the regimen for a while, and things get dramatic when he leaves. But Alice doesn’t stop him. The cameras follow Griff outside where his sister pleads with him, and eventually cracks his shell. He returns to the studio and says he’s willing to try. It’s all very tearful between the siblings and there’s a lot of hugging and crying.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
The next segment is a few weeks later. Griff is doing a lot better, and looks fantastic. He’s clean, his augments are in great shape, and so is he. He talks about how it’s a hard condition to manage and takes a lot of work, but he’s testing to go back to duty in two weeks, and expects to pass. He thanks Alice and the show for helping him get his debts deferred and helping him get into treatment, and he’s glad to be able to re-enter society. He knows C-Psych is a part of his life now, but it’s manageable, and he doesn’t feel like he’s falling into the void alone.
Alice closes out the segment with some thoughts.
| “Cyber-Psychosis isn’t that different from other psychological conditions on a very basic level. The treatments are similar, and they take work and support to maintain over time. If you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to your healthcare professionals. There are options, and there is help. There is hope.” |
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
| AW: “Welcome back! Just before our pilot streamed, we learned about the displacement of about 300,000 more people than the roughly 50,000 from Gaius Station. That’s a lot of people to absorb by stations and sky cities who are typically already stretched on resources. Basic necessities like clean breathable air, water, shelter, medical access and food are all going to be pushed to their absolute limits in coming weeks. A key point to remember is that however we absorb the incoming refugees, it won’t be a permanent solution. Neither are these people intending to be a strain on resources. These are people with skill sets, and knowledge that can contribute to humanity’s overall well-being.
The RISE program is the first step toward that permanent solution. The brainchild of MGM’s Vice President Xavier, the Refugee Integration Service for Equity is already accepting applications from refugees, with volunteer recruiters and headhunters working with displaced people to seek out job opportunities or re-skilling. Accountants and analysts have stepped in to help displaced people establish or reconnect to their bank accounts, to give them access to some of their resources. There is a clear path toward a permanent solution, and RISE is leading the way. If you would like to help, please, reach out to the offices of Vice President Xavier and volunteer or donate. Speaking of donating, it turns out RISE’s first fundraiser is a date auction. If you’d like to volunteer as a date for the fundraising ball to be held, or if you’d like to purchase tickets to the fundraising ball, reach out to the RISE Executive offices at MGM VP Xavier’s office.” |
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
| Dr. Alice Winters: “Welcome back! I wanted to open things up tonight to your questions, so let’s start with the first caller. Are you with us?”
Jake: “Uh, yeah. I’m Jake.” AW: “Nice to meet you Jake. What’s on your mind?” J: “So, I uh, just started grad school, and when I’ve put in chips for classes, I’m getting these really awful headaches and the pain like.. Radiates into my arms. I’m not overclocked or anything. Is my deck broken?” AW: “Well, first, good job on getting into grad school. What’s your field of study? And while you answer that, you’re going to receive a request from my CareNow Telemedicine account. If you don’t mind approving that, and downloading the App if you need to?” J: “Uh, I’m working on my MBA, maybe Law School after that. And OK, I approved it.” AW: “Great! So what CareNow is, is a private medical application that is designed to give you immediate access to a doctor on demand. There’s normally a nominal charge for each telemedicine visit, though, I’m obviously waiving that. The diagnostics come back quick, and I can get a good bio and mech view. Jake, do you mind if I put these up on the big screen? None of your PII, of course.” J: “Okay, sure.” AW: “Thanks. [The Screen behind Alice lights up with tables, charts, and scan information] So, Jake. You play sports?” J: Uh, yeah. Arenaball, my scholarship.” AW: “OK. Yeah. So your deck isn’t really designed to take a lot of impact, and so it looks like some of the connections have worked loose and are misfiring when the processor is trying to read out of the third bay from the left. Sounds about right?” J: “Oh, that’s why Civics gives me a headache?” AW: “Well, that, and it’s Civics. [Pause for laughter] Tell you what. Hamed Koury is a cybersurgeon in New Miami. I’m going to forward this over to him with a referral, and I’d like you to make an appointment with his office. He may be able to repair the connection, but if you’re going to keep playing, then you’re definitely going to need to look into a deck that’s not going to unhinge itself because of that.” J: “That sounds like it’s going to be expensive.” AW: “It could be, if you go for a shielded and reinforced decking system. It could be a lot more reasonable if you look into a more minimal neural relay that’s centrally mounted, and loading bays in, say.. Your forearm, which you can cover with a brace when you play. Hamed’s good people, and he has experience with augged athletes. I think you’d be a good fit.” J: “OK, Thanks, Doc.” AW: “My pleasure, Jake. And that’s something we all need to keep in mind as we age, and mature, and our lifestyles change. We may need to change our load out for our activity level, or our needed brain capacity, or control over the sensitivity of our sensory inputs. That’s why it’s important that if you have Augs, you have a doctor that understands them and can help you adjust as you may need to. I’ll take another call when we get back from the commercial”. |
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
| “I was going to take another call, but we’ve just learned that the Hades Colony has been annihilated. So, I’m not going to do that right now. The news reports are still coming in, but the announcement from ARES was pretty clear.
To those of you with friends or family that live in the Hades Colony, our sympathies are extended to you. If you are in the Hades Colony, reach out to your employer for more information on any evacuations in process. If you feel overwhelmed, and need help, please, reach out to your personal healthcare professional for psychiatric assistance. If you would like to help, again, reach out to MGM Vice President Xavier’s RISE project. I have no words. No commentary on this. I see only the pain caused by this conflict. And my heart hurts for everyone who is suffering.” |
[EXIT MUSIC AND CREDITS - AN MGM PRODUCTION, SYNDICATED BY ONN]