Category: The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Fallacy Editorial Reviews

Fallacy

Review by Oye Timothy

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Fallacy by H. Nattanya Anderson is a three-part book. In the author’s first book, Broken Wings, she narrated a traumatic experience she encountered while working as a flight attendant at NorAm. She narrowly escaped death when the engine of Boeing 727 exploded five feet away from her at 6000 feet altitude. She thought she, and the passengers, would not survive it. Fortunately, they did. But since that incident, her life had never remained the same. She had PTSD, and in this book, she recounted her ordeals and her futile attempts to regain her former self.

H. Nattanya Anderson wrote this book to expose the ordeals and treatments of PTSD journeyers like her in the hands of psychologists and psychiatrists. She did reveal how some aviation companies would rather hire mental health experts that would rather extend their services in the favour of their employers, neglecting the mental health of their patients. Her book also explained in detail how only PTSD journeyers can heal themselves, how to deal with fears if it sets in, learning how to love oneself, the MMPI; how it is employed in the treatment of PTSD and its consequences. These and others, you will discover in her work.

One very thing I love about The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Fallacy is the author’s revelation of what exactly PTSD journeyers pass through during the peak. I had no prior knowledge or experiences of what PTSD journeyers go through until I read this book. I discovered that they need to be alone for a while first. At this point, the only means of connection or contact with them should be slight touching.

I also appreciate the author’s effort in making me discover the loopholes in the mental health sector. How most of their diagnosis has been based on mere inferences. Though the author stated that the book is not to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, I believe her theories could be a modern and effective method to deal with PTSD.

However, I did not like the usage of some medical and technical words or terms used in this book. I found them really clumsy as they interfered with my reading. Therefore, I will rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars. Explicitly explaining or writing those terms in simple English would have me award it a perfect 4 stars. Also, this book was properly and professionally edited as I found no errors in it. I would recommend this book to people battling with PTSD, and to everyone as this book will reveal the ways on how to deal with PTSD journeyers.

Review by Kaivalya

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Fallacy: A Mental Health Industry Bonanza of Profit and Human Destruction by H. Nattanya Andersen is book one of a planned trilogy. Anderson has written an extensive, well-researched thesis that attempts to challenge the myths associated with PTSD treatment. As someone who lived through a miserable phase of PTSD after surviving an airplane explosion, Anderson draws from her own experience to lament about the dismissal treatments espoused by renowned psychiatrists and psychologists. 

The main argument raised by Anderson is regarding psychiatric medications prescribed carelessly by professionals without considering the emotional health of those diagnosed with PTSD. She argues that after the initial numbing effect caused by the pills, this line of treatment only intensifies PTSD symptoms and instigates suicidal tendencies in patients. Anderson uses works of renowned psychologists and psychiatrists such as Kazimierz Dabrowski, James T. Webb, Carl R. Rogers, etc. to argue the need for complete solitude PTSD sufferers need to heal. 

I was impressed with the amount of research the author has put into this book. I loved the spiritual healing process espoused by the author. To state that PTSD experience is indeed an opportunity of a lifetime was extremely bold on the author’s part. This positive reinforcement, an opportunity to investigate and forgive Self, will act as a great source of motivation for PTSD survivors. Through this book, the author has tried to share with her audience an opportunity to create a Self exactly to one’s own liking. This was the part I enjoyed most in the book. 

The bit that I enjoyed least in the book was the author’s claim that psychiatry is fake. The author states that psychiatry is a pseudoscience, a fiction dressed up as fact. The author postulates that since sciences and disease research rests on a notion that a diagnosis can be backed up by lab tests, psychiatry is a realm of fantasy. As there are no lab tests and only ‘educated guesses’ employed to diagnose psychiatric issues, psychiatry is all fraud working to inflate drug sales. I was uncomfortable with this theory as a student of science. I believe in an organized line of treatment that finds a balance between recommended drugs and spiritual healing. In cases of major emotional and mental issues, either of these lines of treatment just by themselves might not be effective. 

Given the above, I have mixed opinions about the book. Although I completely support spiritual healing and exploration of Self, I would not dismiss the importance of medical treatments that pivot on medicinal pills and drugs. The book is professionally edited. I did not come across any grammatical errors. But given the content of the book, I would rate it 3 out of 4 stars. 

I recommend this book to readers working on bettering their emotional health. You do not need to be a PTSD survivor. You could be just someone on a journey of discovery, looking for an opportunity for personal growth- this book will help you a great deal. But I would not recommend this book to students of science skeptical about relying just on spiritual means of healing. There are some views expressed in the book that will not go down well with those in medical services who have complete faith in the established line of treatments employed by physiologists and psychiatrists. 

Review by Kirsten M

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Fallacy by Andersen speaks about the fallacy towards the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD . There is a misconception and misleading judgements that affect the views of the society towards diagnosing mental illnesses including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia, Anxiety, etc. However, the author’s analysis has overtaken every fallacy on mental illness based on the analysis of the research. This book also mention ways of coping from different diagnoses that will benefit those are prejudice on mental health as well as for those are suffering from it. 

The positive points includes the analysis of research throughout the book. One will get insights from every reference. As a woman who suffered an illness, I once hold the beliefs on other pages of the book. The science of the supernatural abilities still cannot outweigh pseudoscience. The antonym of life is inevitable indeed but can be challenged depending on the paradox of rage and joy of the individual. Planning ceased to exist since the beginning of time and without it, it would be a mess. It consists of evolution which existed since the beginning and where did beginning sprouted? The existence of a spirit that created existence- God. And of course, no one can fathom where existence came from as humans do not possess such ability. Though death exists, no amount of guilt can overtake the love we once had in life. That is my understanding and the truth. See, the book hinders prejudice and contains comparative on different theories based on beliefs.

In terms of negative points, there is nothing to point out as the book is well written and contains no grammatical errors which is why I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Overall, I recommend this book to ages 18 and above as the content has complexity of which others would not understand and still holds prejudice.