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National PTSD? [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-12-08

I have been thinking about writing something about PTSD for quite some time. As I watch what is happening in the country today, I have come to the conclusion that I think the persistent legacy of COVID-19 and the pandemic in this country is a form of nationwide PTSD.

When a nation suffers over a million deaths and financial losses, things are bound to change. When you add a psychopath like trump to the fear and grief people are suffering from, you have a perfect opportunity to create an army of “believers” who are searching for answers and something to hang on to. By blaming the others, spewing hate and assuring desperate people they can’t trust science or anyone other than you, it’s easy to foment unrest and violence. A frightened nation that is looking for answers and help is ripe for malevolent indoctrination.

Tragically, the person many turned to was not just incompetent, but a lying grifter who took advantage of their fear and stoked their anger at those he hated. As a result we have courts that are stacked with far right judges, an untrustworthy Supreme Court, a Congress that is filled with fools, and a a nation so divided people no longer trust the press, teachers, medical experts, or anyone or anything that is not trump approved. Survival at some point has to include trust and trump has destroyed the ability to trust for far too many, keeping them still afraid, and clinging to his lies.

An example of this is after the pandemic and trauma of losing loved ones from COVID, the answers people were given by those who came to power after trump, those who offered real help, all trust was gone and only hatred towards the others remained. The lashing out with mass shootings, overt racism, hate toward those who are different, religious fanaticism, paranoia and anything (including killing) people thought might ease their pain, is what we see today. In my humble opinion, it’s the result of a nation that has been deeply wounded by a terrible virus and a former president who gave the people nothing that would foster healing. He never cared about the country, he only cared about himself and gaining more power.

Without trump the country would be united in at least trying to heal. As long as trump continues to fan the flames of hatred and division and his sycophants continue to do the same, the nation will never recover from the biggest trauma it has suffered in modern times.

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[1] Url: https://dailykos.com/stories/2023/12/8/2210531/-National-PTSD?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

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