There are many forms this illness can take, and it is irresponsible to suggest otherwise. There are many theories about what PTSD is and its effects on the people that suffer from it. However, some people in Eastern culture insist that this is not a viable diagnosis of the issue. Instead, they suggest that some peoples lives are simply worse than others, therefore it is their reality and not an extreme disorder. PTSD, however, is a real issue in all areas of the world, not simply a western invention to dramatize a situation. It eats away at a person, rips apart relationships, and can ruin lives when gone untreated. These all point towards a severe issue that demands immediate attention.

Many studies have been conducted about emotional trauma and the responses to these traumas. One of the most significant of these was done about implicit emotions that are not registered consciously. This study showed that we do not know about all of the damages our brain receives in high-stress situations. Psychologists Kirsten Ruys and Diedrick Stapel found in their study that “Humans do not need to be aware of the event that caused their mood or feelings in order to be affected by it… humans have evolved to respond quickly and unconsciously to stimuli, they should be able to react to an emotional event without full awareness.” With this new information, it can be concluded that trauma can be experienced without being fully comprehended. This would allow for surface level tests to come back inconclusive, leading people to believe there is no reason for a person to experience PTSD. However, this does not mean that a person doesn’t have PTSD, it simply means that the stressor is subconscious. This internal reaction could be fairly common in a culture where emotional expression is not very important, but it does not make the reaction any less valid or important than anywhere else in the world.

PTSD takes many forms and is caused by numerous factors. There are five specific types of PTSD widely accepted by the field of psychology, these include Victim-related trauma, Natural-disaster trauma, Survivor trauma, Perpetrator guilt, and PTSD not otherwise specified. All of these different sub-categories of the disorder are unique in their own ways and require different forms of treatment. One of the leading PTSD recovery facilities, Sunrise House, goes on to say, “People with PTSD might have some or all of the symptoms, but the PTSD they have might not be similar. Medical professionals believe these specific subtypes of PTSD impact people differently. Those subtypes need different treatments or therapies in order to get better.” These recovery centers recognize the causes of this disease and approach it accordingly. Places like Sunrise House’s purpose is to ensure that people there receive the treatment they deserve and serve to get people who have experienced extreme trauma back on their feet. Not only do countries in Eastern Culture deny the existence of PTSD but they deny the people suffering from it help. It’s estimated that 23% of people in Palestine suffer from some form of PTSD, however, due to the ignorance of people in positions of power, there is no way for them to get better. This seems more like government skirting responsibility than a made up disorder.

Recently the head of mental health for Palestine, Samah Jabr, has said that PTSD is a western concept. A large number of people in this country, whose psychological welfare Samah Jabr is supposed to be looking out for, are currently suffering from the illness she denies the existence of. Jabr was quoted saying, “A Palestinian in Gaza whose home was bombarded, the threat of having another bombardment is a very real one. It’s not imaginary… There is no ‘post’ because the trauma is repetitive and ongoing and continuous. I think we need to be authentic about our experiences and not to try to impose on ourselves experiences that are not ours.” The idea that there is no “post” in the situation she describes takes an extremely broad view. There may be a general threat in that area at the current time, but people are not under constant attack. If someone encounters a scenario, such as the one described, there is time before another similar experience would be had. Emotional trauma is registered very quickly after it is inflicted, causing the “post” part of PTSD to happen very quickly. People can start to suffer from PTSD as soon as they are away from what caused the trauma. Is it realistic to say that there is no way PTSD can be experienced if there is any possibility of that event occurring again? The answer is no, it isn’t.

PTSD is an illness that does not care what part of the world you are from. It creeps into the mind of anyone who has been through real trauma. It is not exclusive to one country or one demographic. It does not only affect a battered US veteran. PTSD is a real problem for countless people across a global population, and we can not continue to only serve people from one section of it. A greater effort must be put forward to address this problem and get help for the people who need it most.