Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Katniss Everdeen is the main character, from the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark have returned home after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Their behaviors have started to change from the time in the arena. Katniss and several other characters from the film, are showing symptoms of post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition where symptoms evolve in the aftermath of an extreme traumatic stressor that overwhelms the individual's coping capacities" (Gupta,2013).
In other words, PTSD is anxiety and flashbacks triggered by a disturbing event. PTSD is a common effect tributes deal after their experience in the arena. The symptoms of PTSD involve: continuously re-experiencing the event, constant avoidance of the activities associated with the traumatic event, such as feelings, thoughts, or conversations about it, and increased irritability, startle response, difficulty falling or staying asleep, and anxiety which wasn't there before the trauma.
"To qualify for a diagnosis of PTSD, an individual must be exposed to a traumatic event that involved life-endangering components and the individual's response had to include intense fear, helplessness, or horror" (Foa, Keane, & Friedman, 2000). While watching the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, there is no doubt that Katniss has been traumatized. Both in and out of the arena, Katniss had experienced several traumatic events. Her life had been endangered several times in the arena. She had witness multiple cruel killings of other tributes. For the most part she is traumatized by the death of her young friend Rue, fellow District 8 tribute. Katniss' best friend Gale Hawthorne, told her about the destruction of District 12; this is an example of experiencing a traumatic event indirectly. Katniss continues to re-experience the tragedy through nightmares.
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This behavior is associated with PTSD, as proven by the article Review of somatic symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder (Gupta,2013). Katniss had a flashback of herself shooting Rue's killer, while hunting with Gale. She believes this event is happening again. This is an example of dissociative flashbacks as stated in the article. Psychological and physiological reactions may be the effects of exposure to external or internal cues that represents the disturbing event. This statement is supported in the film when Katniss is select again as Distract 12 tribute for the 75" Hunger Games, while in the arena Katniss is in the jungle surrounded by jabberjays and she became distressed to hear them copying the voices of Gale and her sister Prim. This event made her believe that they had been captured by President Snow. This caused her pulse to increase and made it difficult for her to breath. Katniss couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't; this a symptom of hallucination.
In the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Katniss tries to run away with Gale because she doesn't want to face those tragedies again after reentering the arena. This is supported in the article for example, "...persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness..." (Gupta,2013). During the film Katniss is asked if loves Gale, she said, "All I can think about every day since the Reaping is how afraid I am; there is no room for anything else" (Lawrence, 2013). This is an example of negatively altered thoughts and moods caused by Katniss' traumatic experiences.
Katniss does not associate with Haymitch Abernathy, District 12 Games' victor, and Peeta. She feels guilty of surviving because she couldn't save Rue. This is supported in the film when Katniss speaks about Rue to District 11 residents. Throughout the film Katniss becomes very irritable. Her reaction to Prim's cat, Buttercup jumping through the kitchen window was over exaggerated. Katniss' behaviors are well supported in the article Review of somatic symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder (Gupta, 2013). Katniss' PTSD continues to get worst throughout the film leading into the sequel of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. (2023, Feb 20). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-in-the-film-the-hunger-games-catching-fire/
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