Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

[Delta4Embassy]

I mean no disrespect to the OP, but it is seriously unlikely that you have PTSD from watching tv. My girlfriend has it (she was gang raped) and I have two friends who were in the Marines who have it. Both experienced extreme combat. Sitting on one's couch and watching tv (however upsetting it might be) would not produce enough adrenaline to wire the brain for hypersensitivity and hyper vigilance.

"There is accumulating evidence that repeated viewing of traumatic events on television cause symptoms of PTSD even if you were never traumatized before. Studies show that watching four hours of television images per day of soldiers at war or of other terrorist attacks results in psychological and physical damage, such as high blood pressure and heart attacks. The same is true of watching images of hurricane Katrina, or the tsunami in Japan or gruesome pictures of the death of Osama bin Laden, all create a collective or community wide trauma all across the nation."
News Coverage of 9 11 and PTSD - Terrorism Domestic And International

"Just watching television footage of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, was enough to cause clinically diagnosable stress responses in some people who did not even live near the attacks—let alone the millions of people who did.

Like many other major disasters, 9/11 brought with it a host of psychological repercussions, one of the most severe of which has been post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is characterized by trouble sleeping, difficulty controlling anger, losing interest in activities, flashbacks, emotional numbness and/or other symptoms. If not treated, it can be debilitating."
The Changing Mental Health Aftermath of 9 11--Psychological First Aid Gains Favor over Debriefings - Scientific American

Thanks to all the stupid people chiming in, wouldn't have bothered offering the links otherwise.

 

[waltky]

Keepin' the blues away...

Keeping Depression at Bay
Some people have only one episode of depression, but many have problems and recurrences that may last a lifetime.

Approximately one-third of patients with a single episode of major depression will have another episode within one year after discontinuing treatment, and more than 50 percent will have a recurrence at some point in their lives.

The risk of recurrence

Some people are more at risk for recurrence than others.

Depression is more likely to recur if:

* You've had more than one episode of depression in the past, especially if you’ve had several.
* Your depression has gone untreated for a long period.
* You have lingering symptoms of depression, even after treatment. You've had a previous episode of severe depression with suicidal thoughts or very poor functioning.
* Other family members have been diagnosed with depression.
* You abuse alcohol or drugs.
* You experience a lot of stress.
* You have other mental problems or serious chronic physical health problems.

If any of these situations apply to you, tell your therapist so he or she can help you weigh the risks and benefits of discontinuing treatment.

Ongoing drug treatment

 

[Papageorgio]

Many reasons and causes for PTSD, there were many Americans that suffered PSTD after 911, I don't have any reasons or answers, if 911 caused a chemical reaction in the brain, then yes it could happen. They have also found that events earlier in a persons life could trigger PSTD later in life during another traumatic event, like a 911. All I know is that PSTD can be a chemical reaction in the brain, just like bipolar and other mental diseases. The truth is we don't know the real cause and we can only speculate. A person that simply says get over it has no depth of knowledge or understanding of mental diseases.

 

[September]

I seriously cannot comprehend how any human could become "traumatized" or "depressed" over 911.


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[waltky]

Ashtara wrote: I seriously cannot comprehend how any human could become "traumatized" or "depressed" over 911.

Ya had to be there...

... an old high school friend was one of the first responders...

... his supervising agent was killed standing right next to him...

... from falling debris.

 

[Politico]

Were you in the towers or nearby? Or maybe a family member?

He admitted that he got it "remotely", so he got PTSD from watching TV!!!!

That explains a lot.