The Old Doctor’s Therapy
A middle-aged man went to see a psychiatrist to treat his severe anxiety disorder. He kept pacing back and forth in the clinic, rubbing his temples, and complaining frantically:
“Doctor, please save me! Lately, I’ve been haunted by a terrifying thought. Every single time I close my eyes to sleep, I see my wife standing right at the head of the bed, holding a massive dagger and glaring at me with pure hatred. I can’t catch a wink of sleep, and my nerves are about to completely shatter!”
The elderly psychiatrist put on his glasses, slowly flipped through his notepad, thought for a long moment, and said calmly, “This is a classic case of psychological trauma caused by marital stress. I can cure you completely, but this process requires you to come here for regular therapy sessions three times a week, lasting continuously for an entire year.”
The man’s face dropped. He asked anxiously, “Good grief, a whole year? How much does each therapy session cost, Doctor?”
The doctor smiled, “Well, it’s a very reasonable rate, just $150 per session.”
The man immediately stood up, grabbed his jacket, and said resolutely, “Oh, thank you, Doctor! I don’t think I need the treatment anymore.”
The doctor asked in surprise, “Why is that? Are you no longer afraid of your wife standing at the head of your bed with a knife?”
The man replied completely straight-faced, “Think about it, Doctor. A whole year of your therapy costs over $20,000. Meanwhile, if I go out and hire the best lawyer in town to file for an emergency divorce… it will only cost me $5,000, and I’ll get to sleep peacefully for the rest of my life!”
