Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study

Throughout Dubus’ story Matt is depicted as a family man with a great deal of love for Frank, and his loss is exposed through flashbacks and memories. The pain he experienced becomes focused through his gun, with memories of Frank with Mary accenting his agony and fueling revenge, “He recalled her eyes, the pain in them, and he was conscious of the circles of love he was touching with the hand that held the revolver so tightly now”

In the middle of the book, Matt encounters a situation that changes his life forever. He was stuck in a hospital room waiting for the doctors to take him in the operating room to do the heart transplant. With Celia’s help, he escapes from the hospital and El Patron. Celia had poisoned Matt so that El Parton wouldn’t steel his heart, “…enough to kill anyone already weak who tried to steal his

He did face problems which caused him to worry, but he did always try to solve each problem reasonably. Matt also did a lot for his siblings too, as he would work when he could and would watch the girls so Luke could work. Matt was very devoted and willing to help out however he could. Although Matt didn’t stay in school, due to the dilemma with Marie Pye he does make the best of his life. It was a shame for him to not go and finish university since he worked very hard to get the scholarship, but he made the best of things and built a life for himself, Marie and their child. Matt had to face many difficulties and they shaped him into the good life he has made for himself and his

While Celia, his care taker, went to work, Matt would sit in his room and read his book to his toys. He would quickly realize how lonely his home was and when the kids of the Alacran House appeared at his window, he was very excited. He broke the window and climbed out, injuring himself. He was willing to be friends with anyone that he trusted all of them until they began treating like an animal when they realized he was a clone. He searched for true friends, but many saw Matt as a lab project. People wanted to get rid of him except Maria, Celia, Tam Lin, and El Patron, so Matt was determined to show others he was more than just a clone. He wanted to be respected and treated like a human being, but to reach his goals he runs into many obstacles that lead to unexpected

In the beginning of the novel, Matt was an innocent child who did not know anything and was not allowed to do anything. It is stated on page 23, “The fogginess that had surrounded Matt had vanished. His feet, his hands, his knees throbbed with more pain that he had known existed.” Matt does not even know what pain is as he has never experienced anything that could cause pain. As the novel progresses, Matt begins to understand what is right and wrong and who he thinks he is. By the end of the novel, Matt finally realizes who he is personally. On page 366 it is stated, “Matt understood at once …” Matt has grown in a positive direction as he has gotten older. Matt went from someone who did not know anything about the world or himself to one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable

Victor Monjaraz, a former Marine, says that he felt he could handle PTSD on his own, but his emotions did not allow him to. His wife had to convince him to visit a psychologist at the VA and see what the doctor had to say. Monjaraz already felt that he had PTSD before the visit. He was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Monjaraz experienced night terrors and road rage. He was easily irritated and could not be in crowded spaces. The disease also took a toll on his marriage and says, “The Marines taught me to turn off my emotions but didn’t teach me how to turn them back on” (Monjaraz).

Towards the end of therapy the family was adjusting to health crises that have become chronic. Parental anxiety had increased due to the fear that Melvin would be left alone and would be unable to take care of himself or interact appropriately with the outside world. Had therapy been affective, there would have been some sense of relief, knowing Melvin would be safe without the assistance of his

Matt incapable of recognizing his own emotional pain was was therefore unable to seek help in getting over that pain and correcting what was causing it. Not many would consider pain to be a gift, but it is because of the fact that pain is distressing that it is important. Pain indicates that something is wrong, that something is hurting us, and with that knowledge we may discover “what hurts us, and why.” Matt was rendered incapable of registering that emotional pain after being neglected as a child, which is what made me sympathetic. He does not have the capacity to protect himself from further

When Matt is finally needed for organs, he manages a narrow escape with the help of Tam Lin, but the danger isn't left behind in Opium. Near death awaits him at the border of Aztlan, luckily Matt is able to hop the border, and land right in the arms of the Keepers. Conformity was the key to surviving with the lost boys, but Matt did not conform easily. Had he been ignorant to the ways of the world –like the other lost boys- Matt would've been like a sheep following a shepherd. However, Matt was not a sheep, he had seen more of the world than the orphans could dream of, and could not be easily brainwashed. In the end, Matt's individualism caused a lot of trouble, almost killing the frail Fidelito and himself. If Matt had compromised his integrity, nobody would've been hurt. On the other hand,

Justice Coldrey said Matthew felt no remorse for the killings "since the elimination of your mother and stepfather represented the consummation of an intensely held ambition". Matthew had told a psychiatrist he felt his actions were morally

Stein, Dan J., Seedat, Soraya, Iversen, Amy, and Wesley, Simona, (2007), Post-traumatic stress disorder: medicine and politics, 369: 139 44

After the incident occurred, Matthew helped the gay community in Laramie, the society become more mindful of who they really wanted to be and should fight for their rights. Although, Matthew did a huge impact for the Laramie community, he could have still been alive today helping the gay community around the world be free and end discrimination. What was hurtful to see when watching the project was that, after the incident occurred there were people who did not care what happened to Matthew and continue to protect disrespectful saying. Moreover, society nowadays are not recognizing that the gay community tends to have the highest suicided rate, due to not being accepted into their community and suffering from many stereotypes and discrimination. Because of Matthew, he was able to open Laramie eyes and cause the society to help him finish what he wanted to

Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sometimes considered to be a relatively new diagnosis, as the name first appeared in 1980, the concept of the disorder has a very long history. That history has often been linked to the history of war, but the disorder has also been frequently described in civilian settings involving natural disasters, mass catastrophes, and serious accidental injuries. The diagnosis first appeared in the official nomenclature when Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-I was published in 1952 under the name gross stress reaction. It was omitted, however, in the next edition in 1968, after a long

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widespread disorder that affects certain individuals psychologically, behaviorally, and emotionally following the experience of a traumatic event (Lee et al., 2005, p. 135). However, because of inconsistencies regarding the percentage of individuals who experience PTSD and the percentage of individuals who subsequently develop PTSD, researchers hypothesize that both biological and environmental factors contribute to the development of PTSD (Wolf et al. 2010, p. 328). In order gain a better understanding of this disorder and to discover contributing and predicative factors which contribute to the development of PTSD, this paper analyses the historical context and prevalence of PTSD, the

The illness that afflicted the nobleman’s son shows us how weak, frail and mortal we are. Jesus’ healing of the man’s son shows us that we can be healed of our sins but only through Him are we saved. He shows that we can have eternal life through Him.