Yes, it’s prevalent. Just look at all the people still wearing masks.

If she has PTSD from such a minor imposition as to wear masks and socially distance, then I would consider whether she has a pre-existing mental health disorder. It's not possible for a healthy person to have PTSD just from that; bad memories, certainly, but not clinically significant trauma.

We are a neurodivergent family with a lot of triggers for anxiety, but for us it's the opposite. We were relieved to isolate and have virtual schooling, since it meant less social interactions. It was a sad time marked by the death of my Grandmother and two aunts from Covid, but we did not have PTSD merely from following Covid protocols.

I would not give air to her complaints. Just mark a beat and go on with your conversation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course she can. It was a scary and uncertain time. How one reacts to that is personal.

It sounds like you don't agree with what she is saying so you are dismissing her experience.

If she has PTSD from the risk of death from a pandemic, sure. But PTSD from having to wear a mask grocery shopping?

That is how OP is looking at it. Tells us nothing about the aunt. Plenty of people have PTSD from lots of different aspects of the only Global pandemic they have ever lived through.

I think a lot of us have unresolved trauma from Covid.

I gained a good deal of weight from that time.

Anonymous wrote:Of course she can. It was a scary and uncertain time. How one reacts to that is personal.

It sounds like you don't agree with what she is saying so you are dismissing her experience.

If she has PTSD from the risk of death from a pandemic, sure. But PTSD from having to wear a mask grocery shopping?

Covid was a crazy time. I hated the masks on children and what it did to the fabric of civil society. Do I have flashbacks/PTSD responses like an Iraq War veteran hearing loud sounds? No, but I do have feelings of sadness, like how strangers interacted with my 2020 baby vs my 4 other kids (masked, minimal interaction) or remembering all the people who died alone or trapped with abusers. That’s not PTSD, more a general grief.

Anonymous wrote:My aunt is constantly telling me how her therapist diagnosed her with PTSD because of COVID. She didn’t have COVID, but she was traumatized by having to wear a mask, social distance, etc.

Is that a thing? I want to appreciate that she has a point of view about public health mandates (even if I don’t agree with those views). But it feels like she uses this PTSD diagnosis to constantly garner attention and as an argument why public health and vaccines are bad.

I guess my question is whether you can actually get PTSD from something that feels so, I don’t know, just day to day life? I guess I always thought PTSD was related to more intense life events, but I don’t want to be an insensitive jerk.

There is also a diagnosis called Chronic PTSD and this is more like a COVID experience - in that it was ongoing and not one particular incident. Some people get this from prolonged stress from something. Some people are really bad a pivoting and making the best of a bad situation. Some people have high levels of anxiety. If someone has high levels of anxiety and has trouble pivoting - it can make problems.

However, it does not mean she has to bring it up and have that be the main topic every time you visit. What is she doing to help her move beyond it? what does she feel has helped the most?

Therapist money grab.

Of course. It’s common.

Wait, so she has PTSD from Covid, but won’t get a Covid vaccine?

I couldn’t spend one second in her presence. That’s toxic.

Anonymous wrote:Its a money grab from therapist creating drama instead of teaching people to think rationally.

BINGO!

Its a money grab from therapist creating drama instead of teaching people to think rationally.

Of course she can. It was a scary and uncertain time. How one reacts to that is personal.

It sounds like you don't agree with what she is saying so you are dismissing her experience.

My aunt is constantly telling me how her therapist diagnosed her with PTSD because of COVID. She didn’t have COVID, but she was traumatized by having to wear a mask, social distance, etc.

Is that a thing? I want to appreciate that she has a point of view about public health mandates (even if I don’t agree with those views). But it feels like she uses this PTSD diagnosis to constantly garner attention and as an argument why public health and vaccines are bad.

I guess my question is whether you can actually get PTSD from something that feels so, I don’t know, just day to day life? I guess I always thought PTSD was related to more intense life events, but I don’t want to be an insensitive jerk.