Ptsd - Blog Posts
now that thunderbolts has been released, i'm once again seeing people online responding to complaints that bucky's trauma is never fleshed out, with the following similar responses:
- "his trauma had 10 years to be fleshed out, why are you guys so obsessed with seeing him suffer?"
yeah.. no. bucky may have been on the screen for all six phases but he is rendered absolutely irrelevant after civil war (where - and i'm saying this as somebody who loves civil war bucky - he kinda is just a plot device for steve and tony to have more tension between them).
it's laughable to ever describe his trauma as fleshed our when no character even acknowledges his trauma?? he has gone through the worst horrors imaginable. it's like marvel thinks if they point his trauma out, they realize his "recovery" is near impossible (which is why it wasn't shown on screen). bucky DID have all these years to be fleshed out, but he wasn't. even by the second act of civil war it was like "okay we gotta make them teamup, make bucky stop being rightfully feral and guarded and just have him chill with steve and a bunch of randos who he doesn't know if he tried to murk an hour ago."
i've always adored this scene in civil war. despite having been practically feral, at arms length and desperate to run, once caught, bucky shows that he has regained himself somewhat and accepts the name of his past enough to correct zemo. this one scene gives us so much insight into bucky's psyche.
my favourite part about the bucky in civil war by FAR - aside from that red henley - is the way for the first half that bucky is on edge, has no idea what's going on, he's anxious, guarded, like a volatile, stray dog.
the way he looks at t'challa with shock, then just starts fighting. the way he is guarded with steve, yet comes up behind him, just to lie to him. the way he runs in the tunnels and frantically swerves to avoid being hit by a car here because he just has no fucking clue what's going on yet he's still fighting the fight
one thing about bucky's mcu story is that we never see how he heals. i don't buy for one second that a man who was brainwashed, manipulated, tortured with electroshock, physically abused and spent by far the majority of his life as a weaponized soviet assassin is going to be in any way okay. for christ's sake, this dude should have the final boss ptsd. yet it's nearly wrapped in a bow in some cameos of wakanda. we. never. see. it.
you may have also noticed that a lot of bucky's trauma is not credited to the writing of it, but to sebastian stan's amazing SILENT acting that makes you feel it. seriously, the amount of praise sebastian (rightfully) got for the way he made bucky look tormented is insane. this dude carried it
tfatws was arguably the last chance to do something with bucky - finally, six episodes to focus on his psyche! wowzers! instead, we get the INSULTING storyline that bucky needs to apologise to the people HE hurt and that this also somehow cures his mental health issues, though honestly the show swept around this by laughably not even showing us anything not skin deep. he has nightmares, he's a bit angsty - sure, that's easy to recover from when that's a you show a character going through. it's clear the backstory of bucky was them biting off more than they could chew, and wouldn't fit in with their story, so they condensed it and made it easier to make bucky a sidekick by essentially retconning his past trauma so that instead of having any of the severe mental health issues we expect of bucky, he was instead just. chilling.
so no. i'm not somehow being evil to a character and wanting them to constantly suffer. i realized, walking out of the cinema (spoilers for thunderbolts!!) that the reason i wanted bucky to have a void room is because it would mean the mcu would finally acknlowedge bucky's trauma. because let's be real. the character of the winter soldier, and post winter soldier recovery bucky are so unbelievable different with barely any material for how he got here that he may as well be a different character and not a loved character who i know and connect to the fucking winter soldier movie.
so, by having bucky never acknowledge the winter soldier apart from a quip, it makes it so easy to not have to ever, ever communicate just how he got from point A to point B. i want him to suffer because it means his backstory would finally be acknowledged by him, and others, and it would be cathartic and we'd see how he healed from it instead of the mcu just TELLING us that he healed from it. or even better just having him suddenly be better because the plot requires it (looking at you, second half of civil war)
anyway.. where was i on that civil war point?
you recover from trauma, expecially with the right support system, but trauma changes you. that doesn't have to be a bad thing, but for somebody who went through what bucky did, if he was a real guy he would've found a way to commit suicide a million times over by now, it's only bearing the logic of him being a character on screen that he lives. i think bucky would've been at his best if he fundamentally stayed the way he was for the first half of civil war - constantly guarded, closed off, timid in a way, volatile and willing to fight when needed even though he's just so exhausted of it, because something in him is just urging him to survive. that, at least, would've been way more believable than "completely adjusted, a bit angsty and awkward, skirts around any real discussion of mental health in favour of prancing around how steve rogers something something" like we got in tfatws.
civil war bucky was the last time mcu was willing to establish to us that bucky has FUNDAMENTALLY changed from his experiences, he doesn't go leaping in steve's arms and is clearly constantly on guard, and i think that's important to note because it's so easy to say "well they do acknowledge he's changed and he has trauma, he had the code words erased in wakanda.." but that was not a demonstration of how he was fundamentally forever affected by this trauma at all, it was a one-off point in a series manufactured only because they needed him to be more mentally stable than he'd never be to move the cogs of the plot along. (along with the fact it's clear that somehow erasing the words is meant to heal bucky of all his problems)
so yeah. no, i don't want to see bucky suffering and i am absolutely reasonable for being upset that thunderbolts is just another movie to sweep bucky's trauma and recovery to the side, because we never saw his recovery so the only way we'll ever connect this guy to bucky is if we see. him. acknowledge his past because holy shit he is a different person and i'd love bucky to be this mentally stable if we were shown it
one thing to note is that this dissonance is always made exceptionally clear by things like fanfiction that actually show bucky's trauma and recovery and do it in a way that doesn't shy away from any scary topics, which makes it all the more realistically brutal and cathartic when he recovers. that's why i've never fully gotten past 2016 bucky - because neither did the mcu as it just made a new character, whilst fanfiction writes all the things in the gaps of the original movies, so it also never got past it
Kind of a rant about probably my least favorite holiday:
Unhappy 4th of July to the people that set off bird killers and flashback initiators.
Hate fireworks. I live in an area that’s obsessed with them though. We’re autistic and have PTSD, so they’re a big no for us. Our PTSD isn’t even from combat, but they’re still causing negative stuff in our brain as we type this out. I hope the birds nesting in our area (and all the other people and critters) are okay, but I know they aren’t.
Also, WHY do they set them off in the week or so leading up to tonight too?
I swear my neighbors are playing some kind of July 4th playlist (so far “Firework” and “Party In The USA” have played). Like okay, we’re losing our rights and you’re celebrating this oppressive place by shooting things into the sky. Add “American Healthcare” by Penelope Scott. It’s much more accurate.
- Gia (she/her).
TW! DRUGS, ALCOHOL, OVER DOSING,REHAB, EATING DISORDER, RAPE, MENTAL HEALTH, SELF HARM, SUICIDE
Now we skip a year to the beginning of the year. Year 9. 2022.
On October 24th 2021, i was walking to a friends house. To get there you had to walk down a dark, forest like path. I wasn't wearing anything too revealing. Nothing more then slight cleavage. This guy, must've been in his mid 20s, came up behind me. Grabbed me from behind, and raped me. My innocence was stripped away, only because i was wearing a top.
This event lead me into a horrible spiral of depression. I was 13.
I started drinking, everyday, for 2 months. In school, at home, out side. I felt like i needed to get away from this pain. I was made to be mature, the child i once was had gone. I was caught, i was excluded, i was put into treatment for recovering alcoholics.
I stopped eating for months. I needed control. And somehow eating was the only thing i could. No one noticed, i'd always been quite fat, so it was seen as me loosing weight. Everyone was proud of me. No one could see the true intentions. I was dying, slowly killing myself to end my suffering.
One day, whilst i was at a party, drinking, someone gave me a massive load of cocaine and heroin . And there forth i was an addict. In school, at home, outside, in dirty public bathrooms, i was always doing drugs. I stole weed, lighters, filters and rolling papers from people. I stole bongs and grinders from shops. I needed it. It made me forget. It made me happy. I was 14. I was shooting up heroin every week, snorting cocaine every day. My friends encouraged this, told me it was my life and i could do what i wanted. I needed the help. They only really got concerned when i almost over dosed on heroin in the park near my house. I was sent to the hospital, where i am now. They are sending me to rehab on the 21st. They said it was what i needed.
I started self harming again, almost slitting my wrists everyday to end it. If i couldn't be happy, what was the point in being here.
I was diagnosed with autism and am currently waiting to be diagnosed with bpd , which all my therapists said i most likely do have, it gave me some clarity, although i will never tell anyone any of this, only you.
This is my story, of what has happened, before you judge someone, think about what they have been through.
Fare well - Radio
Harry's post-Hogwarts
Harry's life after the battle of Hogwarts.
Regulus Black x Fem Potter! reader
word count: 1.8k
warnings: mentions of war, death, nightmares, PTSD
note: A Regulus and Harry moment hihi
The house felt quieter without Danny.
It wasn’t something they ever said out loud, but they all felt it.
Y/N noticed it in the way Regulus lingered by the breakfast table, drinking his tea a little slower, his sharp eyes drifting toward Danny’s usual seat. She noticed it in the way he took a few extra minutes in the morning to check the post as if expecting an owl from her—even though they’d just received one the day before.
Harry noticed it in the way the house felt less chaotic. No more exasperated sighs when he tried to rope Danny into one of his antics. No more cutting remarks that were both brilliant and scathing. No more of her curling up in the chair across from Baba, nose buried in a book far too advanced for her age.
Regulus would never admit it, of course. But Y/N caught the way he looked up expectantly every time the fireplace flared, just for a second, before masking it with that cool indifference he’d perfected years ago.
“She’s only been gone a week, Baba,” Harry said one evening, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorway. “You act like she moved across the world.”
Regulus, sitting in his usual chair, turned a page in his book without looking up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Harry smirked. “Right. And you totally didn’t check for an owl three times today.”
Regulus flicked a glance toward Y/N, who was smirking into her tea. “I was checking for Ministry correspondence.”
“Sure you were.”
Regulus exhaled through his nose, closing his book with a soft thud. “Is there a reason you’re standing there, or did you just come to irritate me?”
Harry shrugged. “Mostly the latter.”
Y/N chuckled, setting down her cup. “You two are hopeless.”
Regulus sighed, rubbing his temple. “If this is what I have to deal with when Danny is gone, I’ll just send a Howler telling her to come home.”
Harry snorted. “She’d ignore it. Or worse, she’d send one back telling you to stop being dramatic.”
Regulus didn’t argue, which meant he knew Harry was right.
It was strange—this new phase of life. Hogwarts had always been a part of their routine, but now, with only one child at home, the house felt just a little too still.
Y/N reached over, placing a hand on Regulus’s. “She’s fine. And she’ll write again soon.”
Regulus hummed, squeezing her hand lightly before pulling away. “I’m aware.”
Harry smirked. “You miss her.”
Regulus shot him a look. “Shut up, Hazzy.”
Harry’s grin widened. “You miss her so much.”
Regulus glared. Y/N just laughed, shaking her head.
The house was quieter. But they’d adjust. They always did.
-
It was strange—falling back into a routine that hadn’t existed in over a decade.
With Danny at Hogwarts, the house felt smaller in a way. Not physically, of course, but something about it brought them back to the days when it was just the three of them—Regulus, Y/N, and Harry.
So, they decided to lean into it.
One evening, Harry came home from work at Chuddley Cannons, stretching his arms over his head. "It's weird without her here," he admitted, dropping into his usual seat at the dining table.
Y/N chuckled, setting down the plates. "You mean it's quieter?"
"Exactly," Harry grinned. "No broody six-year-old correcting my spelling or outdueling me in chess."
Regulus raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his tea. "She hasn't been six in quite some time, Harry."
"Yeah, but she still acts like she is sometimes. Always reading, always judging me—"
"Wonder where she got that from," Y/N muttered, smirking at her husband.
Regulus scoffed. "I do not judge."
Harry and Y/N both gave him a look.
Regulus rolled his eyes. "Fine. Perhaps occasionally."
That night, it was just the three of them for dinner—like it had been all those years ago. It didn’t take long for them to slip into old habits.
Regulus and Y/N sat beside each other, discussing their respective days—her work at Hogwarts, his at the Ministry. Harry, ever the troublemaker, stirred his soup absentmindedly before blurting, “Remember when I used to sit on the table instead of a chair?”
Y/N groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
Regulus pinched the bridge of his nose. “You were a menace.”
Harry smirked. “Still am.”
They spent the rest of the evening reminiscing—about the time Harry had insisted on flying inside the house and knocked over an entire bookshelf; about the time Regulus had tried to teach him etiquette, only for him to use a soup spoon to launch peas across the dining room; about the nights when Y/N would return home from Hogwarts, exhausted but still determined to tuck Harry in.
After dinner, Regulus and Y/N sat by the fireplace, Harry sprawled across the floor like he was still a teenager instead of a grown man.
"You know," Y/N mused, watching the flames flicker, "this is nice."
Regulus glanced at her. "What is?"
"Just... us. Like this. It reminds me of when Harry was little."
Harry, lying on his back with his arms crossed behind his head, smirked. "So you do miss me being a little kid."
Y/N rolled her eyes. "I miss you being manageable."
Regulus chuckled. "He was never manageable."
Harry grinned. "True."
They sat there for a long time, basking in the warmth of nostalgia. The house may have felt quieter, but it didn’t feel empty. cv
Because no matter how much things changed, they were still them. And that was enough.
It was strange—falling back into a routine that hadn’t existed in over a decade.
With Danny at Hogwarts, the house felt quieter. Not empty, just… different.
Harry, now a professional Quidditch player, had been staying over for the week while he had a short break between matches. It almost felt like old times—just the three of them, like it had been before Danny was born.
Y/N leaned against the kitchen counter, watching as Regulus sat at the dining table reading the Daily Prophet, his usual cup of tea in hand. Across from him, Harry was stretching out his sore muscles, rolling his shoulder as he groaned.
"Merlin, I feel ancient."
"You’re twenty," Regulus said flatly, not looking up from his paper.
"Exactly. Ancient."
Y/N smirked, setting plates down on the table. "Try being in your forties and teaching a bunch of teenagers Ancient Runes every day. Then we’ll talk."
Harry grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "You love it."
"Most days." She sat beside Regulus, nudging his arm. "And you? Still terrorizing the poor souls at the Ministry?"
Regulus didn’t dignify that with a response, merely taking another sip of his tea.
Dinner felt like stepping into the past, their usual banter slipping back into place effortlessly.
"Remember when I used to run around the house with my toy broomstick, knocking things over?" Harry mused as he dug into his meal.
Regulus exhaled sharply, setting down his fork. "You were a menace. Nearly took my eye out when you were six."
Y/N laughed. "Oh, and that one time you crashed into the Christmas tree—"
"That was one time!" Harry defended himself.
Regulus smirked, crossing his arms. "And then you joined professional Quidditch. Clearly, you learned your lesson."
Harry grinned. "What can I say? I'm consistent."
After dinner, they moved to the living room, the fire crackling softly in the hearth. Harry sprawled across the couch like he owned the place, tossing a Quaffle into the air absentmindedly. Y/N curled up in her usual spot, while Regulus sat beside her, a book in his lap that he had no real intention of reading.
"You know," Y/N said after a moment, watching the fire, "this feels nice."
Regulus turned to her. "What does?"
"Just us. Like this. It reminds me of when Harry was little."
Harry smirked. "So you do miss me being small."
"I miss you being manageable," Y/N corrected with a roll of her eyes.
Regulus chuckled. "You were never manageable."
Harry tossed the Quaffle in the air again, catching it easily. "True."
The night stretched on, filled with warm conversation and laughter. It wasn’t often that Harry had time to stay home like this, and even though things had changed over the years, some things never would.
They were still them. And that was enough.
However, the nightmares started again.
Flashes of green light. Screams that were cut short. Rubble and fire. The feeling of losing people, of not being enough.
Harry woke up with a sharp gasp, his breath coming in ragged, uneven bursts. His chest ached like he’d run a marathon, and the darkness of his childhood bedroom felt suffocating. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, willing the images away.
He wasn’t at Hogwarts. He wasn’t in the war. He was home. Safe.
But his body didn’t believe it.
A knock at the door made him flinch. He didn’t answer, but the door creaked open anyway, the hallway light casting a long shadow as Regulus stepped inside.
"Another one?" Regulus's voice was quiet, steady.
Harry exhaled shakily and nodded. He didn’t need to explain. Regulus had always known.
Without a word, Regulus crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. It reminded Harry of when he was little—when he would have nightmares about his parents, about loud thunder, about monsters under the bed. Regulus would always be there, brushing his hair back, sitting with him in the dark until he calmed down.
Harry hated that he still needed this. After everything, he still felt like that scared little boy in the dark.
“I should be over this by now,” Harry muttered, his voice thick.
Regulus let out a quiet breath, the ghost of a sigh. “You don’t just ‘get over’ something like war, Harry.”
There was a moment of silence before Regulus reached out, hesitating for only a second before resting a hand on Harry’s head, running his fingers through the messy black strands. The touch was grounding, familiar.
"You used to do this when I was a kid," Harry said quietly.
"You used to calm down when I did," Regulus replied simply.
Harry let his eyes drift shut, focusing on the steady motion, the way it slowed his breathing. The memories of battle still lurked in the corners of his mind, but they felt a little further away now. Less sharp.
They sat in silence for a while.
Eventually, Regulus spoke again, his voice softer. "You are not weak for feeling this way, Harry."
Harry swallowed his throat tight. "I just... I feel like I shouldn't—like I should be moving on."
"You are moving on," Regulus said. "But healing isn’t the same as forgetting."
Harry took a shaky breath. He wanted to believe that.
Regulus stayed with him until his breathing evened out again until the tension in his shoulders finally eased.
Just like when he was a child, Regulus didn't leave until Harry was asleep.
previous chapter <- -> next chapter
made a meme for anyone else out there who gets stuck in the "it wasnt that bad!" or "maybe im not traumatized!" loops because trauma denial sucks ass!!! you all are valid!!!
Hey, I've never posted on here before but I don't know what else to do. I'm trying here and reddit.
I want to ask u guys for advice.
Mainly on the topics of:
Dissability(mainly undiagnosed cptsd or bipolar, neurological and possible ortho in my knees) + ptsd and ~fibromialgia~
Remote jobs
OHP
So I have been working at a restaurant that is very busy as a host, bus, where I bus tables and greet people + get them drinks. It's complicated, but long story short my boss got burned by my ex parents (part of the cause of the ptsd and cptsd) and is understanding of my situation with them. She works us on a skeleton crew all year round because of us being in a small tourist town, where the summers are busy and the wunters are a flood of layoffs due to lack of customers. So she keeps on only what she can during the winter ALL YEAR. which when we have 3-4 waitress/host busses for the restaurant with multiple large rooms it is intense on even the most able bodied and minds.
Basically the trade off is he'll in the summer for job security in the winter.
Which i would totally be in for, except my body and brain don't seem to be down for the ride of 36hr weeks >:[
And I'm worsening, fast. Especially with the secuall assaults related trauma, making it increasingly dangerous for me to drive to and from work, which is almost 30 min away.
I want to quit so bad, I technically already have and said that I'll try to work 2-3 weeks more, mostly out of guilt.
The second main problem is that my ohp, oregon Healthcare could be taken from me if I quit a job without already securing another. Which I have not.
I'm going to keep applying to Amazon, and other large companies and a few small ones for a remote job and search a but on the area to for an office job (which would not be ideal, but still better).
But I'm quitting today, school just let out which means even more than what I already have had and I'm pretty sure that I met my replacement yesterday.
I honestly don't know what to do, I'm legally homeless and couch surfing and have to wait a week or two to even try to get my fafsa approved. (Which I might be able to get a job at the community college, IF I take at least one class)
I want to get a degree like paralegal, but thats after I fix my credit.
Lil vent:
It's so frustrating when it feels like my body and mind are holding me back from who I should've been... I should've been the person who worked hard despite her past and made a good savings and future for herself. I'm trying to get into a therapist and pursue a specialist who can help, but if I loose my health insurance I'm screwed. Gods, this sucks.
But seriously, the heck am I supposed to do ʕಠᴥಠʔ
FRIEND.
I count the days that have gone by,
To remind myself to be proud,
But the longer the voices have been quiet,
Only makes them all the more loud,
It’s not only when I’m awake I’m fighting,
It happens even when asleep,
I wake up, shaking and shouting,
My veins start to burn as I weep.
That burning hot pain in my back,
Damn, my arms and my wrists and my throat,
can’t smother them with hands or scratches,
It takes over and drapes like a coat.
I can’t help but wonder what’s wrong,
‘Is there anyone out there like me?’
But then I remember my friend, my love,
Good old PTSD.
LOVE, DEAR ABBY
It be like that sometimes.
(Source: @mysillycomics! I got this off Instagram so I didn’t know it cropped the artist credit out!)
Eret: You're right. I don't want to see it everywhere.....
October Prompts - Eret - Nightmare
@ask-viggo-dagur-and-eret
He doesn't mean to see it, doesn't want to feel the shadow of that nightmare creeping behind every kind face on Berk. These people aren't going to hurt him. But Eret will always remember the feel of hot iron burning into his flesh.
Bakugou has PTSD: A headcanon or possible?
So, as anyone might, I have stumbled across people talking about Bakugou's breakdown- I don't really know what to call it, but during his fight with Deku and he bursts into tears, admitting he blamed himself from All Might retiring and for being kidnapped- and saying he seemed to have symptoms of PTSD.
Personally, I don't have anything against this like I did with 'Kaminari has ADHD'- I actually find it rather interesting- so with this I'm taking the 'I don't know if he does but it'd be interesting I guess' way to do this. I'm either trying to disprove or prove with this, depends.
So as you might guess, this is going unedited; I will not change what I wrote here once I have the answer. Let's start then, shall we?
Causes
So if you're wondering why I'm choosing to talk about causes for PTSD it is because I want to see if Bakugou has reasons to have PTSD. Has he been through something traumatic enough? (Kamino and/or The Sludge Villain Incident.)
According to the article I'm reading (Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)- Symptoms and causes: Mayo Clinic) PTSD develops when you either go through, seen or learnt about an event involving death or threats to it, serious injury (presumably to either oneself or others) or sexual assault.
Now does Bakugou check any of these boxes?
Death or threatened deaths? Well with the Sludge Villain Incident; no. With Kamino; nobody died (as far as I remember) but somebody certainly could have. I believe that falls under threatened death, then?
Serious Injury? Well, Katsuki didn't go to the hospital with neither of those incidents, as far as we're aware. I believe he probably did for Kamino, at least but once again, we can't know.
Sexual assault? No.
Let's go to risk factors now:
•Have severe or long-lasting traumatic experiences.
I would count getting kidnapped and getting trapped in a person made of sludge that was set on stealing his quirk (and breath) as a traumatic experience.
•Were physically injured during the traumatic event.
Not as far as we know but probably as I have already covered.
•Have been exposed to other trauma earlier in life, such as childhood abuse.
No (as far as we know.)
•Have a job that exposes you to traumatic events, such as being in the military or being a first responder.
Does being a hero in training and going through, like, two wars count?
•Have other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression.
Not as far as we know. But anxiety may be possible, have you seen how he worries?
•Drink too much or misuse drugs.
No.
•Do not have a good support system of family and friends.
Well considering he has a mom who's okay with blaming him for being kidnapped (I will probably make a post about how problematic that is another time) and a dad who doesn't really seem to do a lot, I wouldn't really say he has a good support system. But maybe Kirishima, Deku, the rest of class 1-A, (maybe his old middle school friends) would be a good support system for him?
•Have blood relatives with mental health problems, including PTSD or depression.
Not what we know of.
I've searched up if you could get PTSD from kidnapping and, just as I expected, the answer was: 'Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after you have been through a traumatic event, such as a kidnapping.'
Yes, in short words, getting kidnapped could realistically cause PTSD to develop. So; Could the events of Kamino lead him to developing PTSD? Yes, check.
And while I don't know what the Sludge Villain Incident could classify as- a hostage situation? Attempted murder? (Bakuogu was stopped from breathing, after all) Something else?- but presumably it could be traumatic, even though we don't know if it was for Bakugou. So; Could the events of the Sludge Villain Incident lead him to developing PTSD? Probably, maybe.
Now that we've covered if he has the reason; yes. We can move onto if he has the symptoms!
Symptoms
So in the article it says: '
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within the first three months after a traumatic event. But sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms last more than one month and cause major problems in social or work situations and how well you get along with others. They also can affect your ability to do your usual daily tasks.
Generally, PTSD symptoms are grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person.'
Is this important to know? Maybe.
Intrusive memories
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
•Unwanted, distressing memories of a traumatic event that come back over and over again.
Based on his line ”I can't get it out of my head! It's like it's constantly playing on loop!” then yes, he has been experiencing this.
•Reliving a traumatic event as if it were happening again, also known as flashbacks.
Yeah, once again based on the line I previously quoted.
•Upsetting dreams or nightmares about a traumatic event.
Not as far as we know but probably.
•Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of a traumatic event.
Well, would his whole fight with Deku count? Because didn't he fight with Deku because he couldn't stop blaming himself and thinking about Kamino? I'd say he was in severe emotional distress and was reacting rather physically. And it's not just that; when Monoma mentioned both the Sludge Villain Incident and Kamino, he reacted physically.
So far, he's checked three of the boxes (I, of course, don't count the probably with him having nightmares)
Avoidance
Symptoms of avoidance may include:
•Trying not to think or talk about a traumatic event.
Well, he definitely was trying not to think about it (or talk about it) considering he said ”I can't get it out of my head! It's like it's constantly playing on loop! So what the hell am I supposed to do?!” so clearly he was doing everything not to think about it. I count it.
•Staying away from places, activities or people that remind you of a traumatic event.
With Kamino, I don't think we've seen it. But dropping Kamino for a second and instead talking about the Sludge Villain Incident; many think the reason his UA uniform is so baggy (he probably ordered it double his size or something) is because he tries not to remember the Sludge Villain and how stuck he was then. There is strong proof of this because his middle school uniform was his size so he hasn't just always liked to dress like that. There is strong proof that he checks this proof, though nothing confirmed, I don't think.
He checks maybe both of these boxes (still not sure on the last one.)
Negative changes in thinking and mood
Symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood may include:
•Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world.
Yes, he thought being kidnapped was his own fault for ’being weak.’
•Ongoing negative emotions of fear, blame, guilt, anger or shame.
Yes.
•Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of a traumatic event.
Oh I think his problem is remembering too much of it. No.
•Feeling detached from family and friends.
We haven't seen it, I don't think.
•Not being interested in activities you once enjoyed.
We haven't seen it.
•Having a hard time feeling positive emotions.
He's always struggled with this so that's not because of Kamino or the Sludge Villain Incident.
•Feeling emotionally numb.
Definitely not.
He checks 2- maybe 3- of these boxes.
Changes in physical and emotional reactions
Symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions, also called arousal symptoms, may include:
•Being easily startled or frightened.
We haven't seen it.
•Always being on guard for danger.
I don't remember a specific instance but yeah, he definitely seems on guard.
•Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast.
Yeah, in the form of running to the danger instead of away from it like a normal person would.
•Trouble sleeping.
We haven't seen it.
•Trouble concentrating.
We haven't seen it.
•Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior.
Oh yes but then again, this is Bakugou. Do I count it? Did his anger worsen?
•Physical reactions, such as sweating, rapid breathing, fast heartbeat or shaking.
We've seen it from him before; when he had his panic attack after losing to Deku (yes I count that as a panic attack) but this was before Kamino and we know why so we can't tie it back to the Sludge Villain Incident. Ugh, do I count it?
Checks 2- maybe 4- of these boxes.
That's all the symptoms listed but before I come to the conclusion I do need to say this:
Did his behavior change? Yes, I recall Deku pointing out differences in his behavior after the Sludge Villain Incident. So that's one more box he checks.
Now:
Conclusion
He checks 9 boxes IF I don't count the maybes but if I do he checks 13 boxes.
Bakugou- drum roll, please- could have PTSD.
I asked the AI on Snapchat- because I was too lazy to search it up and read some article- and this was the interaction:
How many ’boxes’ (symptoms) do you need to check to have PTSD. How many are required?
To be diagnosed with PTSD, according to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), a person needs to experience a certain number of symptoms from different categories. Specifically, the DSM-5 outlines that a person must have symptoms from each of the following four categories: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. The exact number of symptoms required for a diagnosis can vary, but typically, a person needs to exhibit a certain number of symptoms from each category for a specified duration to be diagnosed with PTSD.
Yes, what is this certain number? Is there a specific one.
In the DSM-5, to be diagnosed with PTSD, an individual typically needs to experience at least one symptom from each of the four categories: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. So, in total, that would be a minimum of four symptoms from these different categories to meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis.
Do you need to check all of the boxes from each category?
You don't necessarily need to check all the boxes from each category to be diagnosed with PTSD. The important aspect is that you have a minimum of one symptom from each of the four categories: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. As long as you meet the criteria of having symptoms from each category, the specific symptoms may vary from person to person.
And, considering Bakugou checked at least one (sometimes multiple) of the boxes from the categories then yes, he very likely could have PTSD.
Now, something to remember that this is NOT a professional opinion, this is just an opinion from an overanalyzing idiot from the internet who thinks it's fun to diagnose characters. So I might do this more; either disprove or prove.
As a way to end this; Yes, Bakugou could very likely have PTSD.
i want to be hugged.
i want someone to stroke my hair.
i want someone to tell me they’re proud of me.
i want someone to hold my hand in public.
i want someone to tell me everything’s gonna be okay.
i want someone to softly caress my skin.
i want someone to teach me their hobbies.
i want someone to explain to me stuff i don’t understand.
i want someone to give me forehead kisses.
i just want to feel safe, for once.
CoVID-19 Trauma Resources
HEY GUYS
Know how I talk about trauma and how it works (and how to mediate it and avoid it) and so on a lot?
The Neurosequential Network is putting together webinars and talks and resources about that here.
Thus far there’s a recording of the live meeting they did yesterday, a link to an episode on The Trauma Therapist Podcast on the issue, and to Peace of Mind Foundation’s facebook discussion, but much more is planned.
That said even these are amazing resources as they are. This can be particularly useful if there are children in your life, but it’s honestly useful period.
(This is the network behind the symposium I was stupidly excited about going to; sadly it’s been postponed until next year, but the network started putting this stuff together immediately.)
My grandma thinks I’m going to conversion therapy. Like I’m going to therapy but it’s for my Depression and ptsd not cause I’m a non cis-het individual.
Someone said happiness will come to me but when? Am i the only one who believes that good things must come into my life in a stipulated time, otherwise it’s like trying to feed someone who’s already full?
And my ptsd driven brain just reaffirms this idea, a timely positive prescence is more important than anything else
A collection of my most recent tmnt designs, now with a title: TMNT shell-shocked (please tell me if anyone else is using that name)
Watching Good Omens season 2 was like reading the most perfect, slow-burn 100k-word fanfiction in a nice, relaxing bubble bath surrounded by scented candles. But when you get to the end, you realise it's an abandoned, unfinished fic that was last updated five years ago, and you are left alone with this earth-shattering cliffhanger, and on top of that, someone throws a toaster in.
There's a lot of fluff about how Harry shows no sign of trauma from his upbringing but maybe it's because I was neglected and often spoken of as extremely well-adjusted, but to me Harry seems to be a pretty natural response to a combination of neglect and a stable upbringing? He's not like. Traumatized. But a lot of people just develop maladaptive habits from these circumstances. Like:
Dissociative tendencies. I know this one is not intentional, but he shows constant lack of focus which interferes with his schooling and will often just space out and stare at things. This is used as a device to point the reader towards plot relevant items and turn them from irrelevant details, but it is something he does.
Harry does not actually distrust adults outright at first! He goes to teachers for help! But he tends to disrespect them, and struggles to think of adults as figures of authority the moment they slip up. Hagrid's bumbling chaos, Quirrell's nerves, Snape beefing with an 11-year-old, McGonagall not taking his Very Real Concerns seriously, Vernon's bluster, these are moments Harry discards their authority - that child thought McGonagall was going to burn him at the stake at first, but was barely shaken by her later. And it makes sense! You are a powerless child, you are looked down on, but the "consequences" you face are things you got used to and feel are normal, so you take strength from being unafraid of punishment.
A lot of fluff is made about abuse victims and independence because yeah, obviously, but I do think a lot of his savior/martyr complex is egged on by his servile role; he lived his entire life apart from the Dursleys, but they relied on him. To be crude, when someone shits the bed he puts it in the washer. And I do think he takes satisfaction in being the best man for the job, and I do think that can breed a whole host of mental problems that will lead you to a fated suicide duel with a Dark Lord
The books are mean-spirited in general, but he learned a lot of the fundamentals on engaging with the world from the Dursleys. He's pretty consistently petty and vindictive! And I genuinely believe Harry is, personally, as a character, fatphobic (in addition to the doylist text being fatphobic), because it was something Dudley gets criticized for and thus something that proves Dudley isn't infallible, and he would have definitely fixated on it and felt comfortable doing so, because that's just how the Dursleys talk about people.
For that matter, he is in general stifled by the inner lives of others - he's somehow the most socially stunted person in a trio with Hermoine in it. He is at all times deeply uncomfortable by the thought that other people have feelings and motivations, and reifies people with strong, clear roles in his life, and a lot of his development is realizing there are people behind those roles. I stand by the fact that Harry naming a child after Snape is a symptom of unaddressed mental illness.
This boy is so unbelievably susceptible to mania. I'll acknowledge a lot of his behaviour is teenage bull-headedness but the way the extremes of "I need to be doing something Now" and catastrophizing only gets worse...You know when he's 30 he's going to get prescribed mood stabilizers
And these are all things that can spiral into really toxic and self-destructive behaviour, which we know because that's what happens in the books. I think part of pushing his trauma in fanfiction is accepting that sometimes when someone is traumatized they develop an awful personality instead of PTSD.
(You may now reread this entire post and think about Tom Riddle.)