- Admin
- #49
anthony
Founder
All I can say is thank goodness for the coming diagnostic changes, finally ridding a lot of nonsense around this diagnosis.
-
We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
-
Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.
News Can Watching Violent/scary Movies Cause Ptsd?
- Post starter intothelight
- Start date
- Status
SevenWolves
Silver Member
I don't know. I've been watching scary movies since birth, was raised on them. They've never bothered me at all. In fact I find them quite funny. The only movies that affect me are those dealing with abuse. I'm aware of that, so I just don't watch them. I do have a question for H89 though - you stated in a few posts that certain movies (of various genres) cause you to have flashbacks. What exactly are you having flashback of? The reason I ask is because if the flashbacks are of abuse as a child, then that's where the PTSD comes from - the abuse, not the movies/tv shows.
Orglethorp
Not Active
I'm also one of those who enjoys scary movies, despite having PTSD, and I firmly believe that a piece of fiction that is presented as a piece of fiction (eg. willingly watching a scary movie) is not going to be a cause of trauma all by itself. Perhaps the woman the post is originally talking about has an underlying disorder (a phobia, a general anxiety disorder, something) but doesn't understand it, so she's clinging to the first logical explanation she could think of when she first wondered where her own abnormal behaviours were coming from.
That being said, movies can definitely act as triggers. I've been triggered by films that I didn't expect to be triggered by, and there are films that I won't watch based on what I've heard about the plot because I think they might be a trigger if I did. These are often suspense movies (which is a shame, because that's my favourite type!) and not classic horror.
That being said, movies can definitely act as triggers. I've been triggered by films that I didn't expect to be triggered by, and there are films that I won't watch based on what I've heard about the plot because I think they might be a trigger if I did. These are often suspense movies (which is a shame, because that's my favourite type!) and not classic horror.
Maybe Dr. Phil just meant that she had an underlying case of PTSD and watching the movie triggered it. It could have just not come out right.
I try not to watch any violent movies figuring I have had enough violence in my life. Not big on scary movies either, even though, when I was younger my mom used to wake me up for Creature Feature.
I try not to watch any violent movies figuring I have had enough violence in my life. Not big on scary movies either, even though, when I was younger my mom used to wake me up for Creature Feature.
It's been suggested that violent movies and video games can actually assist a person process violent trauma. (I'd be curious to see the correlation or lack thereof between "I can't watch scary/violent movies" and "I've suffered violent trauma")
I know that I have horrible, horrible, graphic, terrible nightmares almost every night... unless I've spent at least a half hour mowing down zombies with a shotgun on a computer. I wish this didn't take so many years after the nightmares started to discover. I stumbled into it accidentally. My former therapist said it made perfect sense: my conscious mind was finally able to see/deal with the horror and gore in a way that was distanced enough from me to give my subconscious mind a break.
I know that I have horrible, horrible, graphic, terrible nightmares almost every night... unless I've spent at least a half hour mowing down zombies with a shotgun on a computer. I wish this didn't take so many years after the nightmares started to discover. I stumbled into it accidentally. My former therapist said it made perfect sense: my conscious mind was finally able to see/deal with the horror and gore in a way that was distanced enough from me to give my subconscious mind a break.
I'm not trying to argue, it does not matter at all who is 'right' except to better facilitate your healing, but if I were you I would examine the abuse you suffered from your family more closely. My opinion is that the media TRIGGERS you because it reminds you of a time in your life when you were being abused.Your yourself said your therapist doesn;t have a clue why you have certain symptoms.
Also, Dr phil is not really a respected therapist.
Phoenix_Rising
Platinum Member
Well, personally, I agree with most here--it has been my experience that I *definitely* can get triggered by movies & tv programs, although less than I used to be it still does happen, or even conversations about movies, tv shows, or other sufficiently triggering material. However, I definitely don't think it causes PTSD. I won't comment on anyone's experience though, only the topic of this thread. I do agree that it minimizes the experiences of those of us who have experienced or witnessed experiencing real horror & terror in our real lives.
No matter how bad (or triggering) it is to watch someone on tv get raped, it doesn't even land in the same continent as actually being raped.
I don't like horror films at all, never have, but occasionally watch them because my partner does. No matter how scary, disturbing or suspenseful they are, it doesn't come remotely close to *really* being in terror of a very real threat of being killed & having all of those you love killed for years. I've never been driven nearly crazy through constant, long term terror by a movie, no matter how scary it was.
Having said that, I am very much in agreement with children not being exposed prematurely to inappropriate tv & films, I do believe that (repetitively & chronically) can be harmful for children. And I think some children are more sensitive than others, which is why as a parent you best know how much your child can handle & boundaries need to be set for their well being--some kids *would* be traumatized for a time as a result of watching something they don't have the ability to cope with.
My stepson disagrees, he watched inappropriate tv at an inappropriate age, in my opinion, & believes it was a positive thing & didn't do him any harm--he thinks all children should be allowed this, & it would be good for them.
Having said all that, I clearly recall an incident from when I was extremely young, and saw a show on Masterpiece Theatre on tv (I think it was called). Too young to know fantasy from reality (in fact, even much older, I recall thinking that they must pay actors a lot of money to be on tv & in movies because I thought they really died ROTFLMAO), this particular incident, for whatever reason, I believe they were playing Rapunzel & apparently I freaked, just screaming & crying. Well I can recall why--I remember what the witch or whatever she was looked to me--huge, tall, terrifying, with this long bloated tongue--she looked like a live corpse.
I am absolutely certain that if I saw the same show now the witch would be unrecognizable, not what is so deeply etched in my memory--along with the corresponding terror that I remember this many years later. It probably looked like a puppet. But that isn't what I saw.
I had watched the program before, with no problems. But did this cause PTSD, despite that level of terror, not knowing the difference between reality & fantasy & my young age ? No.
The only exception I can think of, is when I was a kid we knew of a mom who exposed her 2 year old to slasher films on a regular basis--THAT, at such an age, regularly recurring, could probably cause significant trauma to a child, maybe even PTSD (since at that age, a child would not understand it wasn't real & that wasn't real people who were dying over & over again & being brutally murdered). But, I would also consider that child abuse & neglect, which brings the question, would the child in that scenario have PTSD as a result of abuse, or exposure to media, or both.
Also, another scenario, & this could happen with an older child--snuff films were brought up--a child is exposed regularly to movies in which terrified people are murdered. They are *told* it's real, ie a snuff film, when in fact it is not. The child is left to watch helplessly as people are murdered in front of them. This would be no different for that child than an adult being abducted, unable to escape, & forced to watch as strangers were murdered on video tape that they genuinely believed were dying.
Again, this would be considered abuse & psychological torture rather than neglect, as in my first example, & that is a trauma that could cause PTSD. But the question is, then, was the media also a direct cause of the PTSD?
Lol I don't have the answers to this, but I think it is an interesting question.
99% of the time no... But possibly in certain extreme circumstances?
It is an interesting topic. :)
No matter how bad (or triggering) it is to watch someone on tv get raped, it doesn't even land in the same continent as actually being raped.
I don't like horror films at all, never have, but occasionally watch them because my partner does. No matter how scary, disturbing or suspenseful they are, it doesn't come remotely close to *really* being in terror of a very real threat of being killed & having all of those you love killed for years. I've never been driven nearly crazy through constant, long term terror by a movie, no matter how scary it was.
Having said that, I am very much in agreement with children not being exposed prematurely to inappropriate tv & films, I do believe that (repetitively & chronically) can be harmful for children. And I think some children are more sensitive than others, which is why as a parent you best know how much your child can handle & boundaries need to be set for their well being--some kids *would* be traumatized for a time as a result of watching something they don't have the ability to cope with.
My stepson disagrees, he watched inappropriate tv at an inappropriate age, in my opinion, & believes it was a positive thing & didn't do him any harm--he thinks all children should be allowed this, & it would be good for them.
Having said all that, I clearly recall an incident from when I was extremely young, and saw a show on Masterpiece Theatre on tv (I think it was called). Too young to know fantasy from reality (in fact, even much older, I recall thinking that they must pay actors a lot of money to be on tv & in movies because I thought they really died ROTFLMAO), this particular incident, for whatever reason, I believe they were playing Rapunzel & apparently I freaked, just screaming & crying. Well I can recall why--I remember what the witch or whatever she was looked to me--huge, tall, terrifying, with this long bloated tongue--she looked like a live corpse.
I am absolutely certain that if I saw the same show now the witch would be unrecognizable, not what is so deeply etched in my memory--along with the corresponding terror that I remember this many years later. It probably looked like a puppet. But that isn't what I saw.
I had watched the program before, with no problems. But did this cause PTSD, despite that level of terror, not knowing the difference between reality & fantasy & my young age ? No.
The only exception I can think of, is when I was a kid we knew of a mom who exposed her 2 year old to slasher films on a regular basis--THAT, at such an age, regularly recurring, could probably cause significant trauma to a child, maybe even PTSD (since at that age, a child would not understand it wasn't real & that wasn't real people who were dying over & over again & being brutally murdered). But, I would also consider that child abuse & neglect, which brings the question, would the child in that scenario have PTSD as a result of abuse, or exposure to media, or both.
Also, another scenario, & this could happen with an older child--snuff films were brought up--a child is exposed regularly to movies in which terrified people are murdered. They are *told* it's real, ie a snuff film, when in fact it is not. The child is left to watch helplessly as people are murdered in front of them. This would be no different for that child than an adult being abducted, unable to escape, & forced to watch as strangers were murdered on video tape that they genuinely believed were dying.
Again, this would be considered abuse & psychological torture rather than neglect, as in my first example, & that is a trauma that could cause PTSD. But the question is, then, was the media also a direct cause of the PTSD?
Lol I don't have the answers to this, but I think it is an interesting question.
99% of the time no... But possibly in certain extreme circumstances?
It is an interesting topic. :)
h89 I also wanted to say that it is obvious you have suffered and for than I am sorry. I just wanted to say something nice since i know it can feel overwhelming when a lot of people are disagreeing with you. I hope you have a nice day. Movies are kinda a waste of time anyways, you're not missing much, most are just garbage.
SevenWolves: Sorry for the long delayed response, I only check this thread every couple of months. I have flashbacks to certain scenes from the movies and TV shows that trigger me. With the TV shows it's the same episodes and scenes I flashback to over and over (with the movies it's only certain scenes too). I "see" (inside my head) the scenes play out in perfect detail and remember the dialogue word for word. When I flashback to my greatgrandmother(as I mentioned in previous posts) it's just her face I see. I'm terrified of the PEOPLE not necessarily the genre of the television shows and movies.
Yeah I don't think PTSD comes from movies...I don't know of anyone who does not know movies involve acting, its not as though they are actually filming real deaths now if movies consisted of real death I could see it being a little more likely but even then I am not entirely sure that is direct enough.
Since I already have PTSD I find some violent movies a bit too intense at times, which actually frusterates me since I like thriller/action type movies but sometimes I can't watch the movies I like because its too intense and triggering. But some days it doesn't effect me that way. But yeah that is triggering what is already there, not causing PTSD symptoms in itself.
Since I already have PTSD I find some violent movies a bit too intense at times, which actually frusterates me since I like thriller/action type movies but sometimes I can't watch the movies I like because its too intense and triggering. But some days it doesn't effect me that way. But yeah that is triggering what is already there, not causing PTSD symptoms in itself.
An interesting post from you.
Yes, we all are actor playing our own role on this big stage earth. Accurate, there is big history that how hearing, watching or visualizing story can affect on one's mind.
- Status
Similar posts
Donation drives
Trending content
-
-
What Are You Feeling Today? Not Thinking, Rather Feeling! Can You Identify Yours?
- goingonhope
Comments: 34K -
-
-
-
Latest posts
-
-
-
What Are You Feeling Today? Not Thinking, Rather Feeling! Can You Identify Yours?
- Latest: Seraphine fatal
-
