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Fictional Characters With Ptsd - Movies/film, Tv And Literature.

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Kas_Can_Fly

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This is a definitive place for all characters we see portrayed as suffering from PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder/PTS or trauma related suffering. The character can come from anywhere films, books or tv. It is for anyone who may not have noticed or thought that a character is suffering from trauma related psychological illness or for anyone who wants to see more portrayal of PTSD and PTSD like symptoms in the media.

So I'm going to start with a few either from my own memory or I have encountered while googling PTSD in fiction. Here are some that I have encountered personally:

  • Harry Potter from the books (more than the films).
  • Tony Stark in Iron Man 3, is suffering very PTSD symptoms (though more likely ASD) including detachment, triggers, nightmares, panic attacks and avoidance.
  • Marty Deeks in the beginning of series 5 of NCIS: Los Angeles (will have to see how this turns out, but very PTSD-ish so far)
  • Terry Bellfleur in True Blood.
And here are some that I have read about but not seen first hand.
  • Stanley in the West-Wing (particularly the 32nd episode Noel) where he is triggered to flashbacks. (though I have seen a youtube clip of the triggered part in particular)
  • Walter Sobchak from the Big Lebowski.
  • Dr Gene Owen Hunt from Grey's Anatomy.
  • Starbuck from the new Battlestar Galactica
 
Robert J. Sawyer's novel Triggers features a character with PTSD. I can't remember the character's name at the moment. Those who have read the book will understand what I mean when I say the characters really overlap in my mind! lol.

A few more:
  • Several characters in Criminal Minds show signs of being affected by their personal traumas years later, even if they wouldn't strictly fit a PTSD or ASD diagnosis. Agents Morgan and Siever spring to mind first, but of course there's Garcia for a decent period of time after a certain key plot point, and Reid at various points in the series.
  • Most characters in The Hunger Games. Like Harry Potter, this is clearer in the books. By the end of the trilogy, Katniss, Peta and Haymitch are pretty much the definition of PTSD.
  • Adding to Harry Potter - it's not just Harry. There are elements of trauma-driven behaviour in Luna, Lupin and Snape as well.
  • Countless Mercedes Lackey novels, but I would specifically like to point to the male protagonist in Phoenix and Ashes.
  • In very, very specific aspects of life, there's Atticus in Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles. I'm thinking specifically about his feelings on how sharing his abnormally long life within anyone is an exercise in pain. He's so afraid of losing them that he doesn't let the relationships start.
  • Will in Good Will Hunting
 
My sister has contributed a suggestion, one of which I haven't encountered but upon Googling, she would appear to be correct:
  • Will Graham from Hannibal
And another suggestion would be as character whether in literature or various media portrayals
  • Watson from the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
  • Also Rand Al'Thor from the Wheel of Time, especially in later books. Guilt, shame flashbacks, nightmares, withdrawal, isolation.
 
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Hey all, new guy here.

I think this can be broken into two types of PTSD representation; literal and allegorical.

Out of the Avengers we see that Black Widow and Captain America exhibit some characteristics that relate to the real world (flashbacks, survivor guilt, working through the body's reaction to danger). And of course, Tony Stark in IM3 exhibits many characteristics as a result of what happened in the Avengers.

And even though Dr Banner might exhibit characteristics like being non-confrontational and trying to get on with his life, his reactions are very allegorical as his body adapts on a very primal level. Hawkeye being controlled by Loki might not be directly related to PtSD but the discussion between he and Black Widow after she recalibrates him can be related to this. The people afflicted with Extremis in IM3 are another allegorical example.

Probably the best thing that we can get from Avengers and IM3 is the framing of IM3. Assuming y'all watched past the credits of IM3 you know that the story is told by Stark to Dr Banner. And though Banner says that he isn't that kind of a doctor, this is a good example of a kind of therapy session between two people that can understand what it is like.
 
I'd forgotten about Jenny! That movie came out when I was 7, and I remember hating the character for all her bad decisions as an adult. After re-watching that film as an adult, I've realized that I was afraid of making the same mistakes. My childhood and hers were so similar, and when I was that age, people called me Jenny. I stopped letting people use that name when I was 12.
 
Excellent post! I've been watching Scandal recently, and have been wondering about Huck's character.

The first character that I felt some similarity with regarding emotional reactions was Will Hunting in Good Will Hunting. There's that one scene where Robin Williams' character keeps repeating "it's not your fault." It tears me up every time.
 
Love this post. So many of my heroes have been fictional characters who suffered from a trauma wound. I love the Tony Stark character for his wounded and radical nature. Here are a few others.

William Wallace in Braveheart - Wife murdered
Bruce Wayne (batman) - Parents murdered
Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) - Saw his wife die

I relate most of all to Anakin Skywalker. A man who is overcome with pride and fear fuelled by the loss of his mother. He blames himself for her death and vows to not let that happen to his wife. Even though he is good at his core, fear twists him into something dark. I think there are a lot of us out there who a bit like DV. We all have a wound somewhere in our lives. Pain has a way of bringing out the best in some people and the worst in others.

This was better than an hour of therapy. I will send you a check. : )
 
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