This post is in response to James McGuire's post, which discussed a medication for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition common to many soldiers and other individuals who have suffered a traumatic event. These individuals commonly exhibit detachment, anxiety, and other emotional symptoms.
James begins by describing PTSD, and states that there are facilities and a variety of treatments for the condition. He then presents a drug called Propanolol, which degrades memories associated with strong emotion. He delves into the controversy surrounding the use of this drug: while it effectively alleviates the effects of PTSD, it can also erase other emotional memories, perhaps even positive emotional memories. This changes the individual taking the drug, drastically changing their personality. James presents two articles, one listing the benefits of the drug and another listing its disadvantages. He finishes his post by stating that he believes the choice of whether or not to take propanolol should ultimately be up to the affected individual.
I thought that James effectively and fairly presented the controversy concerning the medication, an interesting topic which is not widely discussed. We have a family friend who has served in Iraq and it might be interesting to hear what he has to say on the subject. While James did not discuss the conventional treatments for PTSD, I have heard that they are fairly effective. Some involve having the individual recall traumatic thoughts and then immediately medicating them to reduce anxiety and 'reprogram' the memory. I am not sure if these drugs are similar to propanolol, or if they are milder. Overall, I thought James chose an intriguing subject and presented it well.
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