Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Trauma Bandwagon

Gee whiz.  Is it just me, or is there a "trauma" jihad going on?  I can't open my eyes without seeing the word "trauma" in bold headlines in newspapers and journals and in 4H newsletters.  Do I see a new line of Hallmark "Trauma Condolence and Get Well" Cards on the way?

Don't get me wrong now.  I fully support the idea that psychological trauma is bad and can lead to bad things, and supporting people who have experienced trauma is a good thing, but let's try to have some perspective here people.  There is a mob mentality going on.  Is it a competition?  Is that it?  That would explain why people seem to think they're going to get a special treat if they use the word "trauma" more often and louder than anyone else.  A kind of self-satisfied glow appears on people's faces every time they use the word.

Maybe I'm just an old stick-in-the-mud Scrooge.  Bah-humbug.

4 comments:

  1. Talk about trama...I got something even more inane. Autisms in Korea are now 1 in 38. (They test the kids at the school, and then let them know they're autistic.) Door to door psychiatry has led to an increase of 6500% over 20 years. At a rate of 325% increase per year, I figured out 1 in 4 people will be declared autistic in three years. By 2015, maybe we'll ALL be autistic!!!!!

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  2. It will peak eventually. When the popular kids start wearing "Autistic and Proud" t-shirts, it will be the beginning of the end. Then we'll be on to the next fad, Dissociative Identity Disorder maybe or some as yet undefined diagnosis from the DSM-V.

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  3. At least we stick-in-the-muds aren't annoying. So many things are these days, we should get a metal. Great post(s), I was quite frankly insulted after 9/11 when the media referred to Americans as "traumatized". I was just fine, thanks. Wanted to know what I could do and wondering where my Red Cross donation was going to end up.

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  4. "trauma" jihad - best line I've heard in awhile lol except I think you are spot on.

    Regarding the trauma therapist swoop-down to save the world after a natural or other disaster - research shows they make no difference. (sorry, can't quote you the study).

    Thankfully there are folks like you all who are shouting out. Keep it up! Jeanette Bartha

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