Tag Archives: Violence

Ask Ellen Anmuth, Psychotherapist: PTSD and the Trayvon Martin Trial

Posted on by

This blog series was designed to answer questions from readers. In keeping with the current news, a young man named Sam writes in. His  brother was murdered in a violent crime with a handgun, and the news about the Trayvon Martin trial has triggered many feelings of distress.

Sam from Detroit writes: Dear Ellen Anmuth Psychotherapist: My older brother was killed about nine months ago in a violent crime  with a handgun. I am too upset to go into all the details about his murder, but all this news about the Trayvon Martin case has caused me alot of suffering again. I was getting to the point where I could block out some of the bad memories, but all this news about this case on TV has made me remember alot of things that I am trying to forget. I am jumpy, have trouble sleeping, feel angry most of the time, and cannot seem to stop the bad memories. I think they call them flashbacks. Can you help? Thanks, Ellen.

Ellen Anmuth, Psychotherapist writes: Dear Sam, I am so sorry to hear of this tragedy in your life. Yes, you are right when you call the bad memories “flashbacks”. Sometimes, when we have experienced a trauma, like the violent murder of someone we love, recurrent thoughts, feelings and visualizations may recur. There is a phenomenon called “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” that you may be experiencing. Would you be open for seeking some professional help to  better cope with this loss? If you call the social services department of a local hospital, they may be able to refer you to some help… either free help, or with a sliding scale based on your ability to pay. With the proper counselor, you could be helped to work through this very complicated bereavement process. I will explain more below.

I use the word “complicated bereavement” because it contrasts with “uncomplicated bereavement”. All deaths involve emotions and thoughts for most of us. For example, if a very elderly person dies of natural causes, and you had a happy relationship, you will grieve, but will likely not be tormented. On the other hand, if a young person is murdered, the survivors are left with a “complicated bereavement” process, needing to work through a series of complicated thoughts and feelings. For this reason, finding a licensed counselor who specializes in complicated bereavement processes would be a helpful strategy.

 

Boston Marathon Bomber Targets Runners’ Lower Extremities: A Study in Mental Illness

Posted on by

To: Readers of www.TheLanguageOfSolutions.com/blog

From: Ellen Anmuth Licensed Psychotherapist

Re: This blog article is being updated due to the one year anniversary of the attack.  The power of human spirit to be resilient is evident in the countless survivors of this bombing who lost feet and legs. A recent TV interview showed the group of amputees vowing to support a young woman facing the amputation of her leg.  Many survivors described the uplifting spirit of support that helped to comfort, in light of this awful tragedy. Yes, the human spirit is so impressive.  Ellen Anmuth, LCSW.

Shock, Anguish, Disbelief, Anger, Fear, Grief….these words  only attempt to reflect the pain of yet another terrorist attack. The human experience can never be fully captured by language, which is merely symbolic representation of our thoughts and emotions.

As a Licensed Psychotherapist, a part of me is watching and analyzing this horrible event professionally, and  another part of me that is going through all the phases of the grief process, including sleep disturbances, agitation, tearfulness, and despair.

As I listened to descriptions of the bombs used, I heard that they were positioned to target the lower extremities. People had their legs blown off.  What causes a mentally ill person to create a sinister plan that attacks the legs of runners, and the legs of family members of runners?

One possible theory of this type of violence may be that people who were abused as children experience rage and a pervasive feeling of loss of control. These types of terrorist attacks may be fueled by the unconscious wish to get back at the world, and to feel some sense of control.  It may be, in the mentally ill person’s mind, that if they can hurt a runner so deeply that they can no longer run, that externalization of rage may temporarily numb their own inner pain.  I suspect, however, that  the numbing of the terrorist’s pain is only temporary, resulting in a cycle of violent attacks that never heal their anguish.

How can everyday people become more aware of the potential for violent or sociopathic behavior in another? Hurting another person without feeling remorse is one indicator. The lack of ability to feel empathy or guilt when inflicting pain is characteristic. If someone talks about hurting an animal, and laughs about it, that is another indicator. Often, these sociopaths can be charming, and when a person drops their guard and becomes vulnerable, the sociopath uses this moment of vulnerability to attack. The attack can take the form of stealing money or other types of interpersonal violations.

After hearing about the Boston Marathon bombing incident, I drove over to the water at sunset, to connect with nature and comfort my pain. I walked over to a dock on the bay (yes, that was a wonderful song title), and started talking with 2 college students who were fishing. We started talking spontaneously about the Boston Marathon bombing, and stories of people they knew came up. I told them I was a Licensed Psychotherapist, and I believe that, in my opinion, a large percent of criminal behavior stems from a lack of mental health prevention and treatment services. I told these fine students that I hope that as they grow into adulthood, they make an impact to try to encourage more money and attention to mental health treatment issues.