Psychologist: Threatened volunteers should be evaluated for PTSD

If you want to get a better idea of what PTSD is all about, this will help you understand it. Remember PTSD comes after trauma. It is not caused by you. It invades you.

Psychologist: Threatened volunteers should be evaluated for PTSD
Monday, March 07 2011 @ 12:05 AM MST
Contributed by: Admin
Views: 246
by John Q. Murray

Two volunteers who said their lives were threatened by Frenchtown Fire personnel may now be experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The Chronicle asked a clinical psychologist familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD to review interviews with Jenny Ross and Christian Boots to assess whether they would benefit from treatment.

Dr. Steven R. Farmilant said that their statements are consistent with a diagnosis of PTSD, and they should be evaluated to determine whether they have the condition and require treatment.

Jenny Ross was threatened by former Frenchtown Fire Chief John Bibler, who claimed to be a decorated military hero and sniper. He said he would shoot Jenny Ross after first killing her dog and then her family.

Christian Boots, a resident firefighter, said he was beaten and threatened by another resident who reportedly had substance abuse and anger management problems. The resident allegedly said he would throw Christian into an icy river to drown, so that his body would be eaten by animals and never recovered.

With the consent of both Jenny and Christian, the Chronicle shared notes and stories about the violence and threats with the psychologist.

Dr. Farmilant concluded that some of their statements and alleged experiences are consistent with a stress-related injury "requiring further evaluation and possible medical and cognitive therapy intervention."

Both Christian and Jenny made statements consistent with the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). The manual, which provides detailed criteria for identifying psychological conditions, including PTSD, is updated periodically to reflect current research on mental disorders.
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