PTSD and Bonnie 1

PTSD and Bonnie

Misty D Kimmell

Psych 2320-030/031
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PTSD and Bonnie

PTSD is a condition often found in veterans after experiencing tragedies in combat.

(Ems1, 2016) However, the condition has become more prevalent in Emt workers who were the

first responders at ground zero on 9/11. Bonnie has issues in all five main categories of PTSD:

1. Intrusive 2. Avoidance 3. Increased Arousal or Reactivity 4. Negative Mood or Thoughts and,

5. Dissociative Symptoms. In the following I will address these symptoms, along with the impact

they had on Bonnie’s life partner, as well as therapeutic approaches that Bonnie may have had,

or what techniques I feel would be beneficial for others with similar situations.

Bonnie’s symptoms of PTSD started right away. Typical in nature, she has nightmares

which causes her to not sleep but just a few hours each night and hallucinate about men with

guns in her backyard. (Mypsychlab, n.d.) She avoids places or activities that remind her of that

day. For example, she refuses to go into the city and will not go higher than the 47th floor in

buildings. She started shutting people who are close to her out and became extremely introverted.

Hypervigilant about things that may be burning or leaking gas. “I became obsessed about going

around the house checking the lights, smelling for leaks on the stove and smelling for smoke.”

(Mypsychlab, n.d.) Given the severity of the trauma, all of the symptoms are typical of a person

who experienced 9/11 as Bonnie did.

A survey analysis done 11-13 years after 9/11 was conducted on 3231 responders, and of

those, 20% still had flashbacks. (Psychological Medicine, 2016) So Bonnies’ issue with

flashbacks seem atypical on an analysis of a large scale. And her change in persona is even more

atypical. Her life partner stated that when Bonnie would become uncomfortable and relive that
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day through a flashback, her face would become red, she would pull her shoulders back, and then

talk non stop about 9/11. She would become very impatient and aggressive. To the point that it

scared her. (Mypsychlab, n.d.) It was as if her identity split and when confronted with any type

of fear or uncomfortable situations, the identity that experienced that day emerges. She also

stated in the mypsychlab video that she has a tremendous amount of guilt for leaving the scene.

Which was also a low percentage on the analysis.

Bonnie says very little about what type of therapy she used or is in, but she does mention

getting up in the morning and taking her medicine. I can only assume that she is on

antidepressants and anti anxiety medication. The Stoney Brook clinic is designed for mental

health and put several methods of therapy in place after 9/11, which included cognitive-

behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy. It was concluded that these methods only

worked for one in two patients. An approach similar to ones used for veterans suffering from

PTSD due to combat. They experienced multiple exposures simultaneously, therefore, there is a

need for more research on the long term effects of 9/11 on first responders.

In conclusion, our first responders are trained and prepared for traumatic experiences

which puts them at a lower risk for developing PTSD. However, when faced, as they were on

9/11, the nightmare of what they experienced put everyone on a new level of realizing just how

bad an attack can be. There is no level of preparedness to combat something of that magnitude

and there is a deeper appreciation and respect for first responders and what they risk every time

they are paged out on a call.

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References

EMS1 (30 Aug. 2016.). Report: 9/11 first responders show early memory problems.

EMS1. Retrieved from https://www.ems1.com/health-and-wellness/articles/report-911-

first-responders-show-early-memory-problems-uqmPQZgVnCY3lNm5/

N.a (n.d.). MyPsychLab. Visual.pearsoncmg.com. Retrieved from

http://visual.pearsoncmg.com/mypsychlababnormalDSM5/index.php?clipId=7

N.a (n.d.). . Cambridge.org. Retrieved from

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-

core/content/view/14E0BF6BA3999E15C9431BDE13B15B2A/S0033291715002184a.p

df/dsmiv_posttraumatic_stress_disorder_among_world_trade_center_responders_1113_y

ears_after_the_disaster_of_11_september_2001_911.pdf