Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Under The Persimmon Tree

(AGG) People have developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since wars began, and is still caused today due to fear of violence and war. (BS-1) In the book Under the Persimmon Tree, Najmah develops the disorder after her mother and baby brother are bombed, which causes major internal conflicts. (BS-2) Najmah later shows severe symptoms of the illnessdisease, which cause her to be silent and stay disconnected from others, which allows for her to reach Peshawar to find her family. (BS-3) Finally, Najmah develops more into herself after encountering Nusrat and the disease begins to ebb away the more that Najmah talks to Nusrat, which helps to comfort her. (TS) Throughout the book Under the Persimmon Tree, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

(SIP-A) Right after the bombings of Mada-jan and Habib, Najmah experiences an immediate wave of shock and emotion which start her PTSD symptoms. (STEWE-1) “I sit in the dirt beside them quietly, not crying, not thinking, not even aware that I am breathing, and it occurs to me that I might be dead, too” (Staples 83). Najmah shows signs of PTSD amidst the shock that has overwhelmed her after the bombings. Some of the PTSD symptoms shown in this scene are not talking and not realizing what is going on around her. This is shown while looking at her mother and brother that she has no idea of what is going on and she does not care. (STEWE-2) “It’s the first I am aware I can hear again, and I notice that a bitter chill has settled in the early evening air. I do not run or try to hide. I don’t care whether the Taliban find me and kill me” (Staples 83). Once again Najmah shows how severe her PTSD is during this scene. Najmah does not even care about being alive in this scene, which is a very major symptom of severe PTSD. (SIP-B) These symptoms of PTSD cause Najmah to become silent and develop an internal conflict during the tragedy. (STEWE-1) “I am afraid if I close my eyes I’ll see my mother’s outstretched arm and the stain of blood spreading all around her and Habib’s perfect

(SIP-A) During Najmah and Nusrat’s first encounter, Najmah finally speaks again because she felt that being silent would not protect her during the encounter. (STEWE-1) Najmah tries to be silent, but she becomes very scared when Nusrat discovers that she is a girl, which makes her feel insecure. “””Shaheed means ‘Martyr,’” she says and he nods once, definitely. “Why is it not Shaheeda?” Shaheeda is the female form of the name. The child stands and looks quickly around the room as if searching for an escape route”’ (Staples 193). Najmah feels these insecurities because of her PTSD, which causes her to begin to think about talking. Najmah is beginning to feel that her silence may not protect her, although she is staying silent to prevent telling Nusrat information. During their first encounter, Najmah also does not trust Nusrat, which causes her to feel more insecure about Nusrat discovering that Najmah is a girl. (STEWE-2) Najmah finally speaks to Nusrat shortly after Nusrat discovers that Najmah was a girl. Najmah feels so insecure at this point, partially due to her PTSD symptoms, that she finally tals because she believes that her silence would no longer protect her. “‘Please be still and let us see if I can help you. You will be safe here, and you can stay as long as you need to stay.’ Najmah stops struggling but continues to