
What’s really going on in PTSD brains? - bootload
http://www.psypost.org/2016/10/whats-really-going-ptsd-brains-experts-suggest-new-theory-45278
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kordless
I taught Chelsea Manning how to drive when she was known as Bradley Manning.
She (at the time 'he') worked for me in Oklahoma City at a startup coding in
JavaScript. I'd pick him up in the morning on the way to work and would let
him drive. He had a learner's permit at 17 because he had just moved back from
England, where the driving age is older.

One day we pulled up to stop sign where the crossroad did not stop. I was
discussing the art of scanning for traffic before pulling away from a stop
sign when he began to unexpectedly make a right turn. As we were pulling into
a path of an oncoming car, I instinctively slapped my left hand against his
upper chest while shouting "Stop Bradley!" The result was curious, and was
what I believe now to be a PTSD episode.

I had to put the car in park, set the brake, take out the key and go around
and coax him out of the car because he was unresponsive to verbal input. He
was just sitting there breathing in and out and just doing the long stare. He
was probably that way for 4-5 minutes total. Never did get out of him what
happened, other than some vague conversations about violence in his home when
he was younger. Slapping him in the chest and shouting definitely triggered
something.

If it weren't obvious, this was well before the Army hired her and she
committed acts for which the government claims she is guilty and culpable. Not
sure how someone with preexisting PTSD can be held responsible for all their
actions, or should have ever been hired by the Army in the first place.
Figured it was time I shared the story given her current situation.

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77pt77
Do you have anything to back that up?

For now this could just be some random internet person's tale.

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ColinCochrane
Doesn't directly corroborate the story, but does back up that they worked
together.

[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/us/09manning.html](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/us/09manning.html)

[https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/who-is-
wik...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/who-is-wikileaks-
suspect-bradley-manning/2011/04/16/AFMwBmrF_story.html)

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phkahler
>> In the meantime, they note that there is a growing set of therapeutic tools
that can help patients with PTSD, such as cognitive behavioral therapy
mindfulness training and pharmacological approaches.

Notably absent from that list is EMDR, which is highly effective in a lot of
people.

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ipunchghosts
Came here to say this.

~~~
ipunchghosts
For convenience:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_movement_desensitization_a...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_movement_desensitization_and_reprocessing)

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bootload
technical article referenced:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12680872](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12680872)

