I need clips from movies and TV shows of people suffering from PTSD

November 27, 2012 10:16 AM

I need clips from movies and TV shows of people suffering from PTSD. Funny, serious, whatever - bonus points for something I can access online.

My group is presenting an overview of PTSD, and we'd like to spice up our powerpoint. Something on Netflix, hulu or youtube would be most excellent.

posted by Viola to media & arts (29 answers total)

This past Monday's episode of Parenthood had something that might be relevant - soldiers who have been home from Afghanistan for a few months coming together for the funeral of a friend who had committed suicide. Nobody says "PTSD" but it deals with the consequences, I think.
posted by hungrybruno at 10:20 AM on November 27, 2012

From SNL recently: Anthony Peter Coleman and Tony
posted by illenion at 10:20 AM on November 27, 2012

In the Big Lebowski, the character of Walter Sobchak is a Vietnam vet and has caricature-ish symptoms of PTSD.
posted by 100kb at 10:24 AM on November 27, 2012

How about this George Carlin clip?
posted by jbickers at 10:24 AM on November 27, 2012

Pretty much any of First Blood, especially the action scenes. The movie's about a guy with serious, serious PTSD who is prodded into a protracted Vietnam flashback.

As an aside, its treatment of war and the humanity of its protagonist kind of make Rambo an even more baffling movie than it already was, but what can you do.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 10:28 AM on November 27, 2012

It's frequently implied that Terry Bellefleur in True Blood has PTSD; the actor talks about it here, and there's a clip of him lashing out at Arlene at 1:15.
posted by Greg Nog at 10:31 AM on November 27, 2012

Sorry, forgot to include a Lebowski clip. Here's a full scene and here is a collection of various lines from Walter.
posted by 100kb at 10:34 AM on November 27, 2012

Hands down best portrayal of someone suffering from PTSD is Starbuck on the new Battlestar Galactica. There are a /lot/ of clips which reference it.

Another portrayal of someone suffering from PTSD is Victor (Anthony Ceccoli) in Dollhouse, in the episode "Stop-Loss"
posted by corb at 10:40 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

TV Tropes has an entry about the "Shell Shocked Veteran" which includes a lot of examples. Looking through just the film section brought a ton to mind that I'd forgotten.
posted by DynamiteToast at 10:40 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Frank Costanza having a flashback on Seinfeld might work.
posted by jabes at 10:42 AM on November 27, 2012

I'm assuming Netflix has Hell and Back Again, which is a very moving documentary of a guy back from Iraq. Dude sleeps with a .45 with him at all times, was shot in the hip/ass, and is just generally done from being there.
posted by kuanes at 10:42 AM on November 27, 2012

I use this video of a soldier telling his struggle while teaching on PTSD. It's pretty raw, and I a lot of my students chose to write their reflections on it. Also, the first few episodes of Homeland depict Brody's struggle with PTSD, among other things.
posted by amileighs at 10:52 AM on November 27, 2012

Gene the Cook in Wet Hot American Summer
posted by changeling at 10:52 AM on November 27, 2012

Dr Owen Hunt on Grey's Anatomy has struggled with PTSD. Seconding Starbuck (Kara Thrace) in Battlestar Galactica.
posted by Iteki at 11:02 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

In Grey's Anatomy one of the doctors that came in a later season, Owen Hunt, suffered from PSTD.

EDIT: jinx!
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:02 AM on November 27, 2012

Lots of scenes in "Forrest Gump".
posted by Melismata at 11:06 AM on November 27, 2012

Thanks so far, everyone. I love the Battlestar Galactica suggestion: any scenes in particular I should check out? It's 3 seasons long (but available on Netflix!)
posted by Viola at 11:07 AM on November 27, 2012

Also, we have a lot of material about war veterans, so other forms of trauma are needed at this point.
posted by Viola at 11:11 AM on November 27, 2012

The West Wing had an episode from Season 2 (Episode 10) called "Noel" that dealt with a main character's PTSD. It's available free through Amazon Prime, if you have that.
posted by stampsgal at 11:27 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Fisher King addresses PTSD in a powerful way.

Six Feet Under from after That's My Dog.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:28 AM on November 27, 2012

Grey's Anatomy - Derek, Meredith, Owen and Cristina on Grey's have suffered from PTSD, in my opinion. Cristinan and Owen's cases carry through many storylines. As people tend to link PTSD to military stuff, I'd really encourage you to also include Cristina **SPOILERS** who has gone through the death of her stepfather (in front of her), a mass shooting, a plane crash, etc. I would also venture that Arizona is dealing with PTSD **SPOILERS ** after the crash and amputation.

You could also probably use **SPOILERS** Peggy from Mad Men, given her hospitalization following the unexpected birth of her baby. I am not entirely sure if she has PTSD, but she certainly seemed to have trauma.
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 11:41 AM on November 27, 2012

Cristina Yang also had PTSD on Grey's Anatomy. Look for episodes from the beginning of the seventh season, specifically the second and third episodes.
posted by yasaman at 11:43 AM on November 27, 2012

Olivia Benson experiences PTSD after a sexual assault in Law & Order: SVU. The most relevant episode is called actually "PTSD" and is Season 10, Episode 9. It's available on Netflix and, I think, Hulu+.
posted by hefeweizen at 12:12 PM on November 27, 2012

Twilight zone episodes "The Road Less Travelled" and "Nightcrawlers" both involve war vets with PTSD. Although, being the TZ, of course it's a little more surreal than that and the trauma interfaces with current reality in ways. They're both readily available online.
posted by windykites at 12:50 PM on November 27, 2012

Jacob's Ladder is filled with useful stuff.
posted by mannequito at 1:05 PM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

A couple of the Starbuck/Battlestar Galactica PTSD scenes that stand out to me:

-The scene of Starbuck and Lee punching each other in the boxing ring interlaced with their sexual encounter really encapsulates so much, particularly the broken way of dealing with relationships that results from trauma (Unfinished Business)

-A few of the scenes which show Starbuck's abuse at the hands of her mother (Maelstrom)
posted by corb at 1:07 PM on November 27, 2012

Hank in Breaking Bad has a trauma reaction after a work incident with the DEA. One of the best portrayals I've seen of the dissociative and avoidant aspects of trauma reactions instead of the more commonly portrayed dramatic flashbacks. I'll try to find the exact episodes later.

I say trauma reaction because I forget the term for the shorter-term reactions that share characteristics of PTSD but do not have the longevity needed for that diagnosis.
posted by the young rope-rider at 1:28 PM on November 27, 2012

rope-rider, the Breaking Bad Incident with the tortoise was Season 2 Episode...5ish. The following episode is when Hank has his elevator panic attack, and also somewhen around then was the episode of his homebrew bottles exploding, making him think someone was shooting in his house.

The finale of M*A*S*H has Hawkeye in treatment over the traumatic experience he witnessed-- he was on a schoolbus full of refugees which was broken down or something, and they had to be quiet to escape the attention of a nearby enemy patrol. But a woman aboard had a crying child...
posted by Sunburnt at 1:42 PM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

The second episode of season two of Downton Abbey has the new valet, whom they call "shell-shocked" breaking down in a couple scenes.
posted by magnetsphere at 2:18 PM on November 27, 2012