when your plot is over...

My former character Mia Kelly (@mk_matches) has a very tragical background, starting with living in an orphanage, ending in hospital, because her former husband freaked out completely. She's more of a survivor than a fighter and her motif is "keep on breathing, no matter what happens to you" - because breathing will always be the least thing one can do to keep oneself alive.

She went through a lot of psychological treatment, of course. While I was playing her, I even put her into clinical treatment (... because I was RL-busy around christmas-time). Mia had some issues while interacting socially. Does not like to be touched, does not like to show skin, does not like if somebody is walking or standing in her back, being dyslexic... several more. Although she knows herself very well and knows how to avoid those situations, I always wondered: What if there was a psychiatrist who could treat her? Not a passive NPC, but a real player-character. Would it be fun? Or rather hard to handle? Maybe the Mia-Character could have evolved in a different way? Maybe faster into a socially acceptable direction? I always love to go into details deeply with
heart/soul/mind/any relationship of my characters, but I never considered to consult a psychiatrist ingame with one of them - because there was none. And never before I wanted to test it - until a brazen irish woman named Mia came along.

In May last year I quit TSW for a while (almost a year, I came back with Eddy) and switched over to Wildstar. An awesome game with great housing possibilities and a modern space-western setting. I loved it. My character was named "Dr. Alice Cooper" and was a psychiatrist, too. I've often played counsellors, or medics/healers in any way, but never something like this. It was special to me. And it was SO MUCH FUN.
Unfortunately Wildstar did not last for long (it's still there, but the people I played with are not!) :(

While building a new house for us my man and I had to move from one city to another last summer. After that I did not put much effort in gaming. A friend of mine (from the Kobold-community here in TSW) and I tried several (GW2 and WoW), but most games and character concepts bored us to death when it came to roleplaying. (to be honest, in GW2 it was gameplay and content - the most boring ever seen).

All (!) games have one thing in common: most of the players who do RP plot long, intensive and thrilling storylines, mostly dangerous and 98% of them traumatizing in a way. Because the think it is fun to let something exorbitantly tragic happening to them. My friend and I watched them ruining their lifes, pacting with demons, losing their whole families, etc - and then simply carry on on the next day like nothing ever happend. Some of them became alcoholics. Most of them just did it to have just another reason to get into any female characters pants.
But sadly, neither of them were willing to deal with what happened to their characters. Something I could not understand after playing Mia in TSW.
Players often do not know what they are doing to their characters. Which effects some special situations can have on them. What the consequenses *could* be. This is why we decided to at least give them the opportunity to contact a professional if they want to try out something different.

When you want people to deal with psychological issues, no matter what origin, you have to give them the opportunity to do it. Somebody has to accompany them, e.g. while dying. While panicking, while being sad, depressed, frustrated, fucked up in either way.
Somebody has to remind the magicians and killers out there that there is a home, they will be coming to, when they're done. That they still have a worth without all the filthy magic killing stuff. That there is a normal life - as normal as it can be, if one is a bee - to live in.

Plots and Storylines do not end when they are ending. After it, your character will be hurt. No matter if physically or psychologically: When you are hurt, you'll go and see a doctor.
Of course not for small bruises or monday blues, that's what friends are for.
But for the big things. Gunshot-wounds, deep knife wounds, heavy cerebral concussion, broken ribs, etc - you will get you character into hospital.
For great losses (family, lover), deep depression, PTSD, first confrontation with bee powers - and whatever your character may suffer from...
...that's what Dr. Edith Thorne is for.

I'll be there for you when "everything is over" and you (maybe) do not know how to proceed with your character.
This is why I play a psychiatrist: because RP never ends.

(original posting from June 2015 on http://www.tsw-rp.com/profile/13679650)