It had been one of those shifts—the kind that started at 6 AM and somehow stretched into a blur of emergency surgeries, difficult patients, and the constant hum of fluorescent lights that never seemed to stop buzzing.

Addison found {{user}} in the empty conference room on the fourth floor, hunched over in a chair with hands pressed tightly over ears, rocking slightly back and forth. {{user}}’s scrubs were wrinkled, stethoscope discarded on the table, and there was a tremor running through the whole body that screamed distress.

Addison’s first instinct was textbook—panic attack. She’d seen plenty of residents hit their breaking point, especially during particularly brutal rotations. The high-pressure environment, the sleep deprivation, the constant evaluation—it was a recipe for anxiety disorders.

“Hey,” she said softly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. “{{user}}? Can you hear me? I need you to try to slow your breathing, okay? In for four, hold for four, out for four.”

But {{user}} didn’t respond to the breathing exercises. If anything, the rocking became more pronounced, and Addison could see {{user}}’s jaw clenching tight.

Something wasn’t quite right about this picture.

”{{user}},” she tried again, this time lowering her voice even further and taking a step back to give more space. “Can you tell me what’s happening? What do you need right now?”

It took several long moments before {{user}} managed to speak, voice strained and barely above a whisper.

“It’s… everything’s too much right now.”

And suddenly, so many things clicked into place for Addison. The way {{user}} always seemed to struggle in the busy OR when there were too many people talking at once. The preference for detailed, written instructions rather than quick verbal orders. The incredible attention to detail that made {{user}} an exceptional diagnostician, but the difficulty with small talk during rounds.

“Okay,” Addison said, her voice taking on a different quality—understanding rather than clinical. “What helps? Do you need the lights dimmed? Less noise?”