An estimated five percent of Americans- more than thirteen million people- have PTSD at any given time (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Fact Sheet). PTSD is a disorder that is triggered by a very stressful traumatic event. People who have PTSD suffer from dramatic mood changes, hallucinations, anxiety, easy agitation, and thoughts of suicide. Holden Caulfield, the main character in The Catcher In the Rye experienced traumatic event when his brother, Allie, died when Holden is only thirteen. Holden suffers from PTSD throughout the novel, as he displays difficulty developing happy thoughts, has frequent thoughts of traumatic events, and difficulty sleeping. Furthermore, a symptom of Holden having PTSD is him not being able to find and create
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Continually in the book the reader finds holden saying he is not tired and can 't fall asleep because he is either under the influence of alcohol or many things on his mind. “Some people with PTSD use drugs or alcohol to help them cope with their symptoms. In fact, using too much alcohol can get in the way of restful sleep. Alcohol changes the quality of your sleep and makes it less refreshing”(Sleep). When a person has PTSD like Holden they tend to resort to drugs and alcohol to ease the pain, so in result of drinking the body can not relax and sleep. Later the in the book Holden starts to go to more bars, and drinks and he usually gets subsequently drunk leading into him not being able to sleep. “It smelled like fifty million dead cigars. It really did. I wasn 't sleepy or anything, but I was feeling sort of lousy. Depressed and all”(90 Salinger). While Holden might not say that he is drinking because he is depressed, but subconsciously he may be trying to relieve the his heartache from the death of his brother. Holden goes through many things throughout the day. “They may worry or have negative thoughts. Your thoughts can make it difficult to fall asleep. People with PTSD often worry about general problems or worry”(Sleep). Since Holden is always thinking and wondering throughout the day, by the time he goes to bed, he can not relax his mind and drift
Continually in the book the reader finds holden saying he is not tired and can 't fall asleep because he is either under the influence of alcohol or many things on his mind. “Some people with PTSD use drugs or alcohol to help them cope with their symptoms. In fact, using too much alcohol can get in the way of restful sleep. Alcohol changes the quality of your sleep and makes it less refreshing”(Sleep). When a person has PTSD like Holden they tend to resort to drugs and alcohol to ease the pain, so in result of drinking the body can not relax and sleep. Later the in the book Holden starts to go to more bars, and drinks and he usually gets subsequently drunk leading into him not being able to sleep. “It smelled like fifty million dead cigars. It really did. I wasn 't sleepy or anything, but I was feeling sort of lousy. Depressed and all”(90 Salinger). While Holden might not say that he is drinking because he is depressed, but subconsciously he may be trying to relieve the his heartache from the death of his brother. Holden goes through many things throughout the day. “They may worry or have negative thoughts. Your thoughts can make it difficult to fall asleep. People with PTSD often worry about general problems or worry”(Sleep). Since Holden is always thinking and wondering throughout the day, by the time he goes to bed, he can not relax his mind and drift