Examples Of Ptsd In Catcher In The Rye

As the wise man and founding father, John Adams once said, "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." Although one may want Holden Caulfield from the book The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, to be a normal teenager the evidence in proves that he has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the symptoms he exhibits. This is important since PTSD is a complex disorder and it may be difficult to tell whether or not someone has it. By going through the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder the 5th edition, (DSM 5), and looking at the criteria needed to diagnose someone with PTSD, Holden meets all the requirements.

If one was not able to come to a conclusion on the mental state of Holden it makes it difficult to understand Holden's actions and why he interacts with people the way he does. Although PTSD is a complicated disorder it can be narrowed down to three main symptoms of self-destructive behavior, feelings of guilt, and having flashbacks to traumatic events, Holden clearly has these three symptoms and more as opposed to him just being an average teenager going through the stages of grief.
Holden's self-destructive behavior is prevalent throughout the entire book when he drops out of school by failing all his classes except for English.

Holden discusses at the beginning of the book his academic failure. For instance, “I forgot to tell you about that. They kicked me out...It really does,” (Salinger 4). In this passage Holden tells the reader that he was kicked out of Pencey for flunking four of his classes even though he was told on multiple occasions to start applying himself to his classes. A person with P.T.S.D. will not be able to function in society and move on with their academics which is what is happening to Holden. He has been told that he has to increase his grades, however he cannot as he is preoccupied subconsciously with the trauma he has endured and is unable to move on. The National Center for Biotechnology Information website had a periodical written on Students with P.T.S.D. in schools. On the website it was stated, "It is estimated that approximately 4–6% of youth in the general population nationwide will meet criteria for a diagnosis of P.T.S.D. following a traumatic event, including symptoms such as poor concentration and intrusive thoughts, which can also severely interfere with school functioning,” (Responding to Students with P.T.S.D. in Schools). Many students will struggle with these intrusive thoughts preventing them from performing well academically which is self-destructive behavior. Holden clearly is being self-destructive and

though we cannot read his mind, we can diagnose this symptom by observing his actions.
Holden clearly feels guilty about the manner he treated Allie, his brother, when he was alive, this is a distinguished characteristic of people who P.T.S.D. Holden mentions his guilty feelings after he sends away a prostitute he hired. He is feeling desolate since he is thinking about Allie, “What I did...get very depressed,” (Salinger 98 & 99). He describes that he was heading up to the lake with his friend, Bobby and when Allie asked join he rejected him. Holden is now recalling this and imagining that he says yes to Allie, instructing him to get his bike. This is a clear sign of regret since he wishes he could amend the past and allow himself additional time with Allie. P.T.S.D. victims often wish they could alter the past in order to return to a time before the traumatic event occurred. On website Psychology Today there was an article on guilt being a top factor in P.T.S.D. it stated, “Guilt can be very destructive psychologically,” (Joseph). Guilt can devastate a person and while it is natural to feel guilty when it begins to consume one’s life as it has with Holden it is exceptionally dangerous to their mental health. Holden feels remorse for the way he has acted in the past and the fact that he cannot reform the past. Allie has passed away and we clearly observe the toll it has taken on him. Holden would not feel shame if Allie were still alive, thus he is only having this emotion due to his P.T.S.D.
Throughout the book Holden mentions Allie and traumatic events he has experienced. In one instance he has a flashback which is the most important symptom of P.T.S.D. When Holden is talking to Phoebe, he has a flashback, “All right,’ I...go to jail,” (Salinger 170). Phoebe asks Holden what he likes and he tells the reader that he cannot concentrate and flashes back to his time at a previous school. The flashback takes place during a day he lent his sweater to a friend, James Castle. That same day James committed suicide in his sweater. As if that wasn’t unnerving enough, he heard his friend’s body hit the ground and saw the gory mess on the concrete. Holden dissociates from the present and is no longer listening to Phoebe. People with P.T.S.D. have no control over when or where flashbacks happen. Even though Holden may have intended to continue his conversation with Phoebe he can't. He cannot focus on the conversation since he going from a memory and slowly slipping into a flashback. This happens to many victims of P.T.S.D. they start off with an intrusive memory and enter a flashback, just like how it happened with Holden. An article on the website natal.org describes the effects of flashbacks on trauma victims and quotes, “Flashbacks are one of the most conspicuous identifying traits of P.T.S.D. and cause great suffering for the victims who experience them,” (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: what is post trauma). Flashbacks cause the victim's great suffering which happens to Holden since he remembers the sound James’ body made when it hit the floor. He Holden has P.T.S.D. due to his symptom of flashbacks which is ever prevalent in people diagnosed with P.T.S.D.
Many people interpret Holden as an average teen with hormonal imbalances who is going through the grieving process.While there may be some evidence to suggest this, as they argue that depression and refusing to do anything is part of the grief process.

While Holden is talking to Mr. Spencer he asks him feels about failing “ How do you...quit, sort of,” (Salinger 13). Holden never actually answers the question however he does explain that at a previous school he just quit. Many people going through the 4th stage of grief have trouble doing the simplest tasks and don’t see the point. This can be used to support that Holden simply is grieving and school is to draining to actually try to pass. However people who are going through the 4th stage of grief seek out the help and comfort of others rather than Holden who has isolated himself from any external help. Holden has secluded himself and is failing the classes due to his P.T.S.D. symptoms. Holden’s P.T.S.D. has interfered with his school life. Holden quitting school is because of his inability to focus and function is society. While the grieving process has no time limit it typically does not last 3 years in the intensity Holden has it. It can take indefinitely to heal from the loss of a loved one however in Holden’s case is too severe to be written off as normal. Holden’s failure to address his academics and apply himself in school for over three years is not a normal case of grieving. He has been “quitting” schools for three

years with no effort to change, he cannot be an average teen going through the grieving process.
Some critics of the book The Catcher in the Rye choose to believe that Holden is a normal teen going through the grieving process and that his flashbacks are actually just memories. While there is some evidence in the book to support this it is limited. One may say that Holden’s flashback when he is talking to Phoebe is a memory due to the lines “About all I...at Elkton Hills.” He explains that all he can think about were the nuns and this boy James. This could lead readers to believe it is a memory since Holden is aware of what he is thinking about and is not triggered by something going on in the present. However memories can quickly turn to flashbacks which in this case is what occurred with Holden. He begins by remembering the nuns and James Castle when he flashes back to the day James committed suicide. He talks of how he was in the shower and heard his body hit the ground and then saw the body. In addition to this in a memory the person is aware of their surroundings and can even talk to a person.Holden’s flashback consumes him and once it is over he has to ask Phoebe what she said since he was unable to concentrate on what she is saying. Holden loses his connection with reality during this flashback and that is what separates a memory from a flashback. A memory does not cause the victim suffering as it did with Holden where he was completely focused on it and remembering the details of the event. He loses control of his thoughts and does not regain them until after the flashback is over.
There is a dispute between critics as to whether or not Holden has P.T.S.D.or is a normal teenager. The symptoms he exhibits throughout the book cannot be ignored though. This essay only skims the surface on the countless examples of Holden’s symptoms of P.T.S.D. By ignoring these symptoms and claiming Holden is a normal teen is erasing the struggles of people with P.T.S.D. saying they are just going through the grieving process when they are clearly not. Though the book never clearly states anything and leaves the condition of Holden’s mental health up to the reader it is clear he has a disorder and with further research one would discover he meets all the criteria of a person suffering from P.T.S.D. The ramifications of misdiagnosing Holden's actions may be as simple as not being able to understand or properly interpret the book. However something as simple as that leaves the reader confused and questioning the character when their actions can be explained. After Holden is properly diagnosed, readers will be able to understand the struggles he went through and what he is dealing with. Readers may even be able to relate to what Holden is going through and will be able to explain the way he acts as well as his motives.