
Originally Posted by
blighted star
I'm not entirely sure this is correct. Almost 20yrs ago, a woman was murdered 30ft from me with a handgun. A few months later, on an archaeological dig, I was standing on a hillside in the bush with 20 other students while our professor gave an impromptu lecture. Unlike many Australians, I had been raised with guns in my home. I also had a family member in law-enforcement related employment & I had a fair bit of experience with graphic crime scene photos as a result of that & of my course choices at uni.
In the immediate aftermath of the murder, I seemed to handle the scenes we witnessed a whole lot better than my co-workers - for instance, unlike many there, I didn't faint, vomit on anyone, scream or shake uncontrollably. However, in the middle of this lecture, on a rural hillside in the bush, my blood suddenly ran cold -I'd never understood that saying til that moment. Below us, further down the hill, was a farmhand aiming a rifle at something in our general direction. Rifles aren't an uncommon site on rural properties or in my family. I'd never been bothered by the sight of one before, but I was completely stricken with fear that he was about to start picking us off.
So, no, a bear's not a tiger, but it is large mammal with teeth & claws & a known history of fatal attacks on people. Of course we'd have to interview a wide sample of tiger attack survivors to know for sure, but I suspect she's wrong on this one. I totally get her argument - it's great in theory. But rifle/handgun, tiger/bear - any "exotic" animal with a reputation for fatal mauling would have the potential to set off intrusive memories. They'd see any large teeth or claws & feel it happening to their body all over again. I think even images of a great white shark with it's teeth exposed could do it for any victim of a serious mauling. In real life, the triggers just aren't that specific. A very specific trigger may cause a more intense reaction, but to insist that only specific triggers cause reaction at all, in ALL cases of PTSD is really not correct. If that jury member has a personal knowledge of PTSD they may be very aware of this & Dr D's credibility will take a hit because of it. ETA- daaaamnit. Shoulda stuck to my rule of not posting from behind, just found Anniebelle's & there's probably more..