Hudson Milbank struggles with depersonalization while medication, friendship, romance, and therapy offer incomplete paths back to connection.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Detachment Takes Hold
Hudson suddenly feels disconnected from the world and cannot engage physically or emotionally with his surroundings. He first blames excessive cannabis use, while Tom recognizes that the change is serious.
Key Events
Hudson Feels Detached — Hudson begins feeling detached from the surrounding world. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Connection Begins To Fail — Hudson cannot connect physically or emotionally with his surroundings. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Cannabis Explanation — Hudson initially attributes his condition to excessive cannabis use. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Tom Notices The Change — Tom becomes disturbed by Hudson's sudden change in demeanor. Characters: Hudson Milbank, TomLocation: Unspecified setting
Help Is Urged — Tom urges Hudson to seek psychiatric help. Characters: Hudson Milbank, TomLocation: Unspecified setting
Psychiatric Diagnosis — A psychiatrist diagnoses Hudson with depersonalization disorder. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Diagnosis And Medication
Hudson is diagnosed with depersonalization disorder and receives medication including Clonazepam. When the treatment does not seem effective, he seeks another psychiatric opinion.
Key Events
Psychiatric Diagnosis — A psychiatrist diagnoses Hudson with depersonalization disorder. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Medication Is Prescribed — Medication including Clonazepam is prescribed for Hudson. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Treatment Fails To Help — Hudson finds that the initial medication does not seem to help. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Richmond Consultation — Hudson consults Dr. Richmond after the first treatment fails. Characters: Hudson Milbank, Dr. RichmondLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Another Drug Solution — Dr. Richmond also treats the condition as a medication problem. Characters: Hudson Milbank, Dr. RichmondLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Medication Cycle Continues — Hudson remains caught between detachment and attempts at drug treatment. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Attempts At Connection
A new personal connection offers Hudson positive and compelling experiences. This attention challenges his isolation but does not erase the underlying problem.
Key Events
Medication Cycle Continues — Hudson remains caught between detachment and attempts at drug treatment. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
A New Connection Appears — Hudson encounters someone who responds positively to him. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Positive Experiences Offered — A new companion tries to introduce Hudson to positive experiences. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Hope Through Attraction — Hudson receives personal attention that challenges his emotional isolation. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Further Psychiatric Help — Hudson seeks assistance from yet another psychiatrist. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Professional Boundaries Shift — The psychiatric relationship becomes personally complicated. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
Boundaries And Revelation
Hudson's relationship with another psychiatrist becomes personal after initial resistance. The affair is followed by the revelation that the psychiatrist has serious issues requiring professional care.
Key Events
Professional Boundaries Shift — The psychiatric relationship becomes personally complicated. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Psychiatric consultation setting
The Affair Begins — A psychiatrist who initially resists Hudson's advances ultimately has an affair with him. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
The Helper Has Problems — Hudson learns that the psychiatrist also has serious personal issues. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Need For Professional Care — The psychiatrist's issues are revealed to require professional attention. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Hudson Faces Disconnection — Hudson's struggle remains centered on detachment, treatment, and human connection. Characters: Hudson MilbankLocation: Unspecified setting
Story Breakdown
Hudson's Detachment — Hudson loses his physical and emotional connection with the world around him.
Sudden Mood Change — Hudson descends into a strange mood of emotional and physical disconnection.
Cannabis Misdiagnosis — Hudson initially attributes the condition to excessive cannabis use.
Tom's Intervention — Tom notices the change and pushes Hudson toward professional help.
Disturbed Writing Partner — Tom is disturbed by Hudson's sudden change in demeanor.
Psychiatric Recommendation — Tom urges Hudson to seek psychiatric assistance.
First Diagnosis — Hudson receives a clinical explanation and begins medication-based treatment.
Depersonalization Disorder — A psychiatrist diagnoses Hudson with depersonalization disorder.
Clonazepam Prescription — Clonazepam is among the medications prescribed to Hudson.
Treatment Failure — The initial treatment does not resolve Hudson's condition, leading him to seek another opinion.
No Relief — Hudson finds that the initial medication does not seem to help.
Richmond Consultation — Hudson consults Dr. Richmond after the unsuccessful initial treatment.
Medication Alternatives — Dr. Richmond continues to view drugs as the principal solution.
Divalproex Sodium — Dr. Richmond recommends divalproex sodium and other medications.
Medical Dependence — Hudson's search for relief remains tied to competing medication strategies.
Attempts At Connection — Personal attention gives Hudson access to positive experiences despite his ongoing detachment.
New Attraction — A young woman finds Hudson attractive and appealing.
Compelling Experiences — She tries to introduce Hudson to positive and compelling experiences.
Complicated Therapy — Hudson's contact with another psychiatrist crosses professional and personal boundaries.
Resisted Advances — The psychiatrist initially resists Hudson's advances.
Affair Begins — The psychiatrist ultimately has an affair with Hudson.
Reversal Of Care — The person helping Hudson is revealed to have serious problems of her own.
Hidden Issues — The psychiatrist reveals serious personal issues.
Professional Attention — Those issues are shown to require professional attention.
Hudson Milbank is a successful Hollywood screenwriter who suddenly and strangely finds himself without any emotional feelings. He tries doctor after doctor and shrink after shrink, but nothing works. The Golf Channel, lesbian exercise classes and a dizzying variety of pills get him through the day, but don't quite solve his problem. His writing partner tries everything to get him back to normal, but it's not until Hudson meets Sara that he finds a real motivation to get better and to actually start feeling again. From the writer of Deuce Bigalow, comes NUMB, a romantic comedy following an unusual man looking for strange love.
