Post Traumatic Growth

NUR 452 PSYCHIATRIC/MENTAL HEALTH NURSING

Reflection Discussion Board Forum Based on the Movie “Unbroken”

After watching the movie (UNBROKEN), respond to one of the following questions on the Discussion Board on Blackboard and respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings. Please include a citation (APA)to support your original response.

1. “In her book, Hillebrand describes the extraordinary risks faced by America’s WWII airmen; 54,000 men killed in combat; 36,000 killed in non-combat aircraft accidents, and a stunning 15,000 men killed in stateside trainings—at times an average of 19 per day. Men faced a 50% chance of being killed in combat tours of only 30-40 missions.” (Hillebrand, 2010).

Based on the above excerpt, list one mental illness an airman could develop prior to going into battle? (Include symptoms the airman could display that would suggest mental health issues).

2.“When Louie, Phil, and Mac were on the raft, a key factor in their survival was optimism. All three men were young and able-bodied, veterans of the same training, experiencing the same hardships and traumas, yet Louie and Phil remained optimistic while Mac was hopeless, seemingly doomed by his pessimism. Why do you think some people are hopeful and others not? How does optimism play a role in mental health?” (Hillebrand, 2010).

3.“Over 47 days on the raft, the men lost half their body weight, and were rendered to mere skeletons. Yet they refused to consider cannibalism, which had not been uncommon among castaways before them.” (Hillebrand, 2010)

Would you feel cannibalism would be justified in the above case? Could the act of cannibalism affect mental health?

4.“In the 1930s and 1940s, Germany and Japan carried out what are arguably the worst acts of mass atrocity in history.” (Hillebrand, 2010). Today we face other acts of brutality in organizations such as ISIS. Do you feel that the perpetrators of these acts are mentally ill? Why? Do we all carry some capacity for cruelty? Are these acts justifiable during wartime activities?

5.“Anger is justifiable and understandable reaction to being wronged, and as the soul’s first effort to reassert it’s worth and power, it may initially be healing…But in time, anger becomes corrosive. To live in bitterness is to be chained to the person who wounded you, your emotions and actions arising not independently, but in reaction to the abuser… ” (Hillebrand, 2010). Do you agree? How would you use the above quote for the person having to deal with a history of sexual abuse?

6.After the war, Louie was consumed with bitterness and a need for revenge on the “Bird”. His desire’s dissipated after attending an evangelistic series led by Billy Graham and Louis experienced the ability to forgive with his conversion experience. What role does forgiveness play in mental health?

7.After watching the movie “Unbroken”, do you feel differently about veterans? What aspects of being a veteran would you assess to see if they are at risk or actually have a post-traumatic stress disorder?

8.There is a growing field that is looking into “Post traumatic growth” (PTG) and how we can look into building resilience in people at risk for PTSD