Is Tintin Gay?

Although Tintin is a fictional character, some question Tintin's masculinity. Tintin is asexual; he has no desire for sex. But Tintin lives in a homocentric. world. Tin Tin has no intimate female friends, and his close relationship with Captain Haddock is questionable. They are more than friends. Archibald Haddock is an archetypal sailor, also, an alcoholic and suffering from periodical anosognosia. Both Tin Tin and Haddock often live in Marlinspike Hall and travel together. Captain Haddock showed no interest in women. When opera singer Bianca Castafiore came to meet him, Haddock took every measure to run away from her. Tin Tin has no family name, no family info about his parents, and no siblings. Was he excommunicated by his family members following his sexual orientation? Tin Tin has a young Chinese friend, Chang, and Tin Tin goes an-extra mile to save his dear friend. They were very close to each other. Considering these facts, can we conclude that Tin Tin had an LGBT orientation? Hergé grew up in an anti-gay society, and probably he had to conceal Tintin's sexual orientation. 

Malignant PTSD (C- PTSD) in Sri Lankan Combatants and Members of the LTTE

  

 

 

Professor Daya Somasundaram / Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge

Prolonged armed conflict in Sri Lanka has created higher rates of mental ailments among the Army personal and members of the LTTE. A significant number of people have been diagnosed with complex forms of PTSD aka Malignant PTSD. These individuals with malignant forms of anxiety have a wider range of clinical symptomatology with severe psychosocial impairments. These people would fit into the diagnostic category of DESNOS (Disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified) or Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) / Malignant PTSD that was described by Dr. Judith Herman in 1992.  Complex PTSD has been recognised as a new diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11).  

According to Herman (1992), Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) is a psychological injury that results from protracted exposure to prolonged social and/or interpersonal trauma in the context of either captivity or entrapment that results in the lack or loss of control, helplessness, and deformations of identity and sense of self. C-PTSD is distinct from but similar to, PTSD, somatization disorder, dissociative identity disorder, and borderline personality disorder. (DESNOS), characterised by alterations in regulating affective arousal with difficulty in modulating anger, self-destructive and suicidal behaviour and impulsive and risk-taking behaviour.

They have chronic characterological changes with alterations in self-perception: chronic guilt and shame; feelings of self-blame or ineffectiveness and of being permanently damaged; a tendency to victimize others and alterations in systems of meaning such as despair and hopelessness or loss of previously sustaining beliefs (Jong, 1997).

 

Sri Lanka's Armed Conflict and Its Impact on the Victims

A three-decade-long armed conflict in Sri Lanka has created higher rates of psychological problems among the victims.  They were at high risk of developing war-related psychopathology. The armed conflict between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has resulted PTSD and DESNOS (C- PTSD). DESNOS has caused considerable impairments in psycho-social functioning among the affected individuals. These people often experience multiple mental health problems. Most of the victims have not received adequate treatment and some cases are still undiagnosed. Lack of availability of mental health services is one of the barriers to treat war victims and ameliorating their distress.  

 

C- PTSD Among the Sri Lankan Combat Veterans

A significant number of Sri Lankan soldiers suffered severe war trauma during the Eelam War that lasted from 1983 to 2009. It changed the psychological makeup of soldiers. A large number of combatants underwent traumatic battle events outside the range of usual human experience. These experiences include constantly living in a hostile battle-ravaged environment, seeing fellow soldiers being killed or wounded and sight of unburied decomposing bodies, handling human remains, hearing screams for help from the wounded, and helplessly watching the wounded die without the possibility of being rescued etc. The affected combatants with war trauma experience problems in their living, working, learning, and social environments. War trauma has drastically impacted their mental health and long-term functioning. Some of the Sri Lankan combatants with full blown PTSD showed a wider range of clinical symptomatology with sever psychosocial impairments and these veterans would fit in to the diagnostic category of DESNOS (Disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified) or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD).

 

C- PTSD Among the ex LTTE Carders

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - a Tamil militant organization and they attacked the Sri Lankan armed forces with modern weapons. The LTTE used numerous unconventional methods to fight the Sri Lankan Forces using child soldiers and suicide bombers. Many surviving members of the former LTTE either now live in Sri Lanka or live abroad. Most of these ex-militants joined the movement as children and throughout the war, they underwent the harsh realities of war trauma. A significant numbers of ex LTTE members suffer from malignant PTSD. These victims live with rage, guilt, alienation and suicidal ideation. They lack social skills and unable to form families due to a lack of parental skills and intimacy. Some affected by addiction problems.

 

Case Studies

 

1)    Rifleman Sn34 became psychologically wounded after facing traumatic battle events in Operation Yale Devi which was launched in 1993 to destroy the LTTE Sea Tiger strongholds at Kilali.  The enemy launched a surprise attack on the advancing column resulting in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers. The LTTE attacked them with mortars and Rocket Propelled Grenades. Rifleman Sn34 saw the deaths of a number of his fellow soldiers. The enemy captured some of the wounded men.  After this dreaded battle, Rifleman Sn34 had a pessimistic outlook on the future. He had ruminations about the battle events. He relived these experiences. Startle reactions troubled him significantly. He had no way of receiving treatment or no way of explaining to anyone his psychological anguish. For a long period, he lived with his posttraumatic symptoms. Over the years he felt that he was unable to trust people or the system. He became extremely vigilant during the presence of unknown people. He stopped associating with people and became socially isolated. He was demotivated to initiate new events and felt lethargic and withdrawn. He became an extremely fearful person. Prior to the traumatic event, he was decorated for bravery but after the battle trauma, the sound of a firecracker could make him excessively frightened

 

2)    Private SXXT31 served in the operational area for 9 years and firsthand experienced combat trauma. He witnessed how his unit members got killed following enemy fire, mortar blasts, artillery attacks etc. and became severally overwhelmed while handling human remains. After experiencing these events over a long period, he suffered severe transient headaches and loss of memory. By 2002 he was diagnosed with full-blown symptoms of PTSD. He was frequently troubled by nightmares and flashbacks. When he experienced flashbacks, he used to re live the traumatic event and often became disconnected from reality. Once Private SXXT31 went into a dissociate flashback and he had squeezed the neck of his five-year old daughter. When the little girl was suffocating, his wife accidentally noticed the dreadful event, alerted the neighbors and saved the little girl from Private SXXT31’s strong grip. The girl was immediately hospitalized and later recovered. Private SXXT31 became extremely distressed and felt guilty after realizing that he tried to strangle his own daughter. He had no memory of the incident and did not realize how he grabbed the daughter’s neck.

 

3)    Bombardier AXTX36’s self-perception changed drastically with the onset of symptoms. He lost his self-esteem and viewed himself as a sinner and a perpetrator who deserved to be punished by the Karmic forces. I am a villain he openly said and he wished all the blasphemes to fall upon him. He frequently said that he is not a human anymore and the human part of him had gone a long time ago. He urged other people to call him derogatory names. He started to reveal his past interrogative work even to unknown people on the street and never expected a word of sympathy from them. When people sympathized with him he became extremely annoyed and sometimes tried to assault them.  Bombardier AXTX36 became aggressive and emotionally numbed. He lost the ability to trust anyone.  Sometimes he blamed his senior officers, his parents, and sometimes, even himself, for his anguish and suffering.  He had no hopes for the future and several times planned to commit suicide.

 

4)       A 23-year-old male presented at the psychiatric clinic at the Teaching Hospital Jaffna, with complaints of insomnia, numbness of the head, and flashbacks of dead friends. He had joined the militant group at the age of 14 and underwent extensive training. As he lost his friends one by one on missions, he became more withdrawn and preoccupied with thoughts of his dead friends. He also led a very tense life during active duty. He developed a hatred for people whom he was led to believe were traitors and who passed information to his enemies. He caught 3 people whom he considered informants and tortured them by slowly cutting them to pieces while they screamed. He then threw these pieces onto the nearby road. After this, he began to be obsessed with the sight of blood and hearing his victims screaming in pain. He also had nightmares of dead comrades being blown to bits. His insomnia worsened, and he began to take Diazepam. He became addicted and started taking up to 40 mg at a time. He introduced this to the other boys. He also had a severe headache accompanied by numbness of the head. His drug abuse habit was detected by his superiors, who put him on punishment, where he was physically beaten and kept in detention. He is obsessed with the urge to torture and to see blood. When he was asked to draw a picture, he chose a dark red crayon and drew blood drops, a hanging man, a knife stained with blood, a grave and ghosts.

 

Treatment Measures

The main treatments for DESNOS (C- PTSD) are psychotherapy and medication. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are highly recommended as psychological therapies. Studies recommend multicomponent therapies starting with a focus on safety, psychoeducation, and patient-provider collaboration, and treatment components that include self-regulatory strategies and trauma-focused interventions (Maercker et.al.,2022).  These interventions are alleviating the patient's distress in several psychological and physical domains.

Psychological interventions improve C- PTSD symptoms. It is essential to provide more efficient and comprehensive therapies to the individuals with war trauma, and the psychiatric and rehabilitation services should work in collaboration to achieve success. The victims with war trauma need psychosocial rehabilitation to recover. Warren (2002) is of the view that addressing the broader emotional, social and economic needs of survivors is a critical aspect of the rehabilitation process.

 The Health Ministry should provide sufficient training to the doctors to identify war trauma symptoms and do referrals effectively. Psychosocial Rehabilitation should be incorporated to help traumatized combat veterans to achieve recovery.   Psychosocial Rehabilitation practices help war veterans re-establish normal roles in the community, independence, and reintegration into community life. These interventions help to manage behaviors, perceptions, and reactions and give the opportunity to the victims to live a full and meaningful life.

 

 

Presentation on the Buddhist Jataka Stories and the DSM - based Mental Disorders

 

 

The Buddhist Jataka Stories and the DSM - based Mental Disorders  

By Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD  

Organized by Buddhist and Pali University  of Sri Lanka

Youtube Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O4B681Cf7A

Your Heart is a Haunted Mansion

 

Your heart is a hunted mansion

Appear menacing and imposing
surrounded by dead trees and plants
The windows are dark and filled with shadows
When I opened the main door, I got a heavy feeling
Am I walking towards my ill-fated destiny?
I see flickering candles forming shadows
The hallway is like a holograph of an event
Giving me optical illusions
The house has cold spots

With abrupt temperature changes
I hear the fright fiddles and the horror horns
With the occasional rattling of the chains
But I see no one
There are secret passages
leading to a final exit
Mirrors on the wall are covered with dust
Those mirrors don't show reflections
I see shattered china everywhere
A creepy marionette puppet sitting in an armchair
Giving me a sardonic smile
The basement a full of mist covering the floor
A bath with murky liquid in it
The handrails are covered in blood
The shutters are loose and bang against the window frame
As the wind blows outside
Rotting curtains that rustle and move
I see a bowl of fruit rotten and full of maggots.
An old warlock gives a scary look
And it ticks back-wards
Creepy spiderwebs everywhere
A small drop of blood moves across the floor
Leaving behind a thin red line
I see musty, moldy books on a broken shelf
Scattered skeletons everywhere
Rotting dolls with necrotic damage
I found a room with a collection of jars of strange creatures
Maybe they were your previous victims
There is a burning candle mourning the loss of someone
Maybe he was your first true love
A marble statue sitting on the floor
The statue bleeds from the eyes and mouth
I see your diary, It starts out fairly normal,
But slowly descends into madness.
A door opens into darkness
A trapdoor that leads nowhere
I see a message written in blood on the walls
Abandon hope all ye who enter here

Ruwan M Jayatunge

Addressing the Mental Health Issues of Post-War Sri Lanka

 

 

Dr. Sarath Panduwawala and Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge

The 'Post-War Period' can be defined as the years following a major war, characterized by significant changes in the individuals as well as in the society. The Eelam War in Sri Lanka erupted in 1983 and ended in 2009. Following these years, Sri Lankan society experienced a collective trauma. The Sri Lankan conflict caused widespread human suffering and population displacement. Many individuals were physically and mentally traumatized, and war trauma still echoes in society.

Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community (WHO). Optimal mental health is important to personal, community, and socio-economic development. Prolonged armed conflict can extinguish the mental well-being of people.

There is a high prevalence of mental disorders in post-conflict situations. War has a catastrophic effect on the health and well -being of nations (Murthy & Lakshminarayana, 2006). War creates acute and long-lasting mental health problems (Kastrup,2006). Combat trauma has negative social and clinical outcomes. As a result of war-related collective trauma, people experience lower levels of mental well-being. The armed conflict in Sri Lanka has caused negative consequences in the general population (Somasundaram & Sivayokan,1994). Following war trauma, social equilibrium is shattered and it affected the mental health continuum.  

The Eelam War impacted both military and civilian lives and destroyed the social fabric. War-affected regions were left with weakened infrastructure, increased poverty, and dramatically under-functioning education and healthcare systems (Dissanayake et al., 2023). Armed conflicts produce a wide series of distressing consequences, including death, all of which impact negatively on the lives of survivors (Carpiniello ,2023). The Eelam War drastically and detrimentally affected the mental health of the people, and many victims still need treatment and psychosocial support. Although the war in Sri Lanka is over, the communities are still affected by the postwar consequences. 

There is poverty, wrecked social capital, and mental and psychosocial disorders in conflict settings. Carpiniello (2023) highlights a series of war-related, migratory and post-migratory stressors that contribute to short- and long-term mental health issues in the internally displaced, asylum seekers and refugees. Following war trauma, social violence, child abuse, high rates of substance misuse, breakdown in relationships, and mood disorders, grief symptoms follow, and the risk of suicide increases. Furthermore, unemployment, low productivity and poor coping strategies are evident. There is a significant association between psychiatric disorders (depression and PTSD) and disability among war victims. Some of the war victims have greater engagement in risk-taking behaviors and a tendency towards re traumatization. The collective trauma in Sri Lanka can lead to a generational trauma, and it can have a ripple effect beyond the immediate victims.

The burden of mental disorders is high in conflict-affected populations (Charlson   Et al., 2019). The war has disintegrated the existing protective networks in the communities. The community leaders have lost their designated positions in society. Due to poor social support, war-affected people are still struggling to build their lives. They experience high levels of psychosocial problems. The mental health consequences caused by armed conflicts are still underestimated in Sri Lanka. People are still experiencing the consequences of war, and it is essential to build resilience and establish supportive environments for mental health in war-affected areas with sustainable development goals.

Mental health can play an important role in effective post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction (Baingana et al., 2005). Murthy and team (2006) indicate that populations in war and conflict situations should receive mental health care as part of the total relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction processes. Social support and resilience could be protective factors against mental health issues prevailing in victims (Dissanayake et al., 2023). Organizing mental health services in conflict and in post-conflict situations requires many skills and complex work across sectors (Piachaud, 2007) and it is a formidable challenge for mental health professionals. Culturally sensitive interventions have to be developed to meet the mental health needs of the population (Ghosh et al., 2004). Strengthening Coping strategies and promoting maternal psychosocial well-being in war-affected regions.  Provide fruitful ways of coping with the conflict situations.

In post-conflict situations there are six levels of interventions needed: first, increasing resilience; second, making the family the focus for effective support; third, encouraging community solidarity and traditional methods of support: fourth, using the media in mental health promotion; fifth, the integration of mental health skills of caring for the population with general services; and sixth, focusing on long-rather than short-term measures. (Ghoshet al.,2004).

Improving mental health facilities and providing psychosocial support for war affected communities are important. Mental health care must be prioritized, and effective community interventions should be implemented. Psychosocial rehabilitation is important, and these programs will encourage empowerment, self-management and autonomy in daily activities. These interventions would mitigate the harms caused by the armed conflict in Sri Lanka.

 (Dr Sarath Panduwawala is a retired Consultant Psychiatrist who served as a visiting psychiatrist of the Sri Lanka Army)

  

References

 

Baingana F. Fannon I. Thomas R. Mental health and conflicts - Conceptual framework and approaches. Washington: World Bank; 2005.

Carpiniello B. (2023). The Mental Health Costs of Armed Conflicts-A Review of Systematic Reviews Conducted on Refugees, Asylum-Seekers and People Living in War Zones. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 6;20(4):2840. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20042840.

Charlson F, van Ommeren M, Flaxman A, Cornett J, Whiteford H, Saxena S. (2019).New WHO prevalence estimates of mental disorders in conflict settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet.  20;394(10194):240-248. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30934-1.

 Dissanayake L, Jabir S, Shepherd T, Helliwell T, Selvaratnam L, Jayaweera K, Abeysinghe N, Mallen C, Sumathipala A. (2023).The aftermath of war; mental health, substance use and their correlates with social support and resilience among adolescents in a post-conflict region of Sri Lanka. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2023 Aug 31;17(1):101. doi: 10.1186/s13034-023-00648-1. PMID: 37653394; PMCID: PMC10472617.

Ghosh N. Mohit A. Murthy SR. Mental health promotion in post-conflict countries. J Roy Soc Promot Health. 2004;124:268–270. doi: 10.1177/146642400412400614.

Kastrup MC. Mental health consequences of war: gender specific issues. World Psychiatry. 2006 Feb;5(1):33-4. PMID: 16757990; PMCID: PMC1472268.

Murthy RS, Lakshminarayana R. (2006).Mental health consequences of war: a brief review of research findings. World Psychiatry.  ;5(1):25-30. PMID: 16757987; PMCID: PMC1472271.

Piachaud J. Mass violence and mental health--training implications. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2007 Jun;19(3):303-11. doi: 10.1080/09540260701349514. PMID: 17566908.

Somasundaram DJ, Sivayokan S. War trauma in a civilian population. Br J Psychiatry. 1994 Oct;165(4):524-7. doi: 10.1192/bjp.165.4.524. PMID: 7804667.

Presentation on Stress Management and Mental Mental Health -Organized by the Open University - Sri Lanka

 

Stress Management and Mental Mental Health 

Organized by the Open University - Sri Lanka

Presentation by Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD 

Youtube Link; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0tiOvyXowY

SLBC Interview : Music and Life

 

SLBC Interview: Music and Life 

Youtube Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuDo1Q95zqY

Discussion on Cannabis Pros, Cons ; By Dr . Wasantha Sena Weliange Dr. Upali Peris Dr. Manoj Fernando Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge

 

Discussion on Cannabis Pros, Cons

Discussion panel

Dr . Wasantha Sena Weliange
Dr. Upali Peris
Dr. Manoj Fernando
Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge

Youtube Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeS1RBhyp1E

How to Help the War Victims in Ukraine-Providing Psychological First Aid (Presentation by Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D.)

 

How to Help the War Victims in Ukraine-Providing Psychological First Aid

(Presentation by Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D.)

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has caused the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War Two. Ongoing shelling, air attacks, and other acts of military violence have changed the psychological landscape of the Ukrainian people. Following the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian social fabric has been severely damaged. At present, people are experiencing detrimental repercussions of combat trauma. Apart from widespread death and disability, people experience combat-related violence, fear of death, displacement, loss of family members, property damage, and breakdown of supportive social networks. This armed conflict has caused a collective trauma in Ukraine.   Ukrainian civil society has been degraded by the war, and according to the UN reports, more than 2.8 million refugees have fled since Russia began its invasion on 24 February 2022. People are displaced, and many had to flee from Ukraine as refugees, leaving behind their houses and other properties. The war is causing mass displacements. Many people lost property and livelihoods, including their loved ones.  These issues can increase poor mental health among affected people.

Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0cKoIazMF8&t=224s

Reincarnation: A Myth or a Fact - A Lecture by Ruwan M Jayatunge

 

Reincarnation: A Myth or a Fact

YouTube Presentation
By Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D PhD
Organized by Dr. Vipula Wanigasekara and Team

Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJipXqSE8gc

EMDR, an Effective Mode of Psychotherapy; Organized by the EMDR Association of Sri Lanka

EMDR, an Effective Mode of Psychotherapy; Organized by the EMDR Association of Sri Lanka  Presentation done by Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD  

Youtube Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmP4n8ag0JM

Presentation on War Trauma in Sri Lanka and Child Soldiers -Organized by York University Canada

War Trauma in Sri Lanka  and Child Soldiers    

By Professor Daya Somasundaram and Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge  

Organized by York University Canada  

Link ;  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPRIQ_QNEZM

Presentation on Stress Management and Mental Wellbeing Organized by the Open University - Sri Lanka

 

 

Presentation on Stress Management and Mental Wellbeing

By Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD

Organized by the Open University - Sri Lanka and DIMO Academy for Technical Skills (DATS)  

Link ;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w3YrLE8kz0

Presentation on Literature and Psychology ; Organized by the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka

 

Presentation on Literature and Psychology

By Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD
Organized by the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEpcO4rRsXU

Psychotherapeutic Interventions in PTSD (YouTube Presentation)

Psychotherapeutic Interventions in PTSD (YouTube Presentation)    

by Dr Ruwan M. Jayatunge, M.D., PhD

Organized by Vinnitsa National Medical University, Ukraine 

Link :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIoGUnHl_bI&rco=1

The Presentation on the Human Brain and Human Mind

 

The Presentation on the Human Brain and Human Mind 

How human behavior is influenced by brain chemistry 

Conducted by Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD. 

Organised by the Open University - Sri Lanka 

Listen ;  

 Link ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kdN678y4xc

War Trauma in Sri Lanka Presentation Organized by Professor Judith Herman - Harvard University

War Trauma in Sri Lanka Presentation by Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD Organized by Professor Judith Herman Harvard University.

The Sri Lankan society experienced a 30-year prolonged armed conflict that changed the psychological landscape of the Islanders. A large number of combatants, civilians and members of the LTTE underwent the detrimental repercussions of combat trauma. Following the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, over 100,000 people lost their lives, and thousands of families are still grieving. A large number of people became physical and psychological casualties of the war.  The war trauma still echoes in Sri Lankan society. 

Odysee Video Link alternative to YouTube : https://odysee.com/War-Trauma-in-Sri-Lanka-by-Dr.Ruwan-M-Jayatunge-M.D.-PhD:9

"What Happens After Death?" - Debate between Vangeesa Sumanasekara and Ruwan Jayatunge

  

"What Happens After Death?" - Debate between   Vangeesa Sumanasekara and  Ruwan Jayatunge 

This is a philosophical and psychological debate to provide different insights. When death occurs, organs shut down and the brain ceases to function. After death, the body goes through natural changes. Is there life after death? Can we prove reincarnation via contemporary research? 

Youtube link; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2KQraxXupQ

YouTube Presentation: King Seethawaka Rajasinghe -The Monarch who suffered from PTSD By Professor Raj Somadeva and Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge

 

According to the Western chronological records, the first patients who showed PTSD-like symptomatology were recorded in 1666. These records were based on Samuel Pepy’s diary, which described the bizarre behavior pattern of the survivors of the Great Fire of London.  Samuel Pepy vividly portrayed the nightmares, intrusions and flashbacks experienced by these survivors.  

Although the Western World recorded PTSD-like symptoms in 1666, King Seethawaka Rajasinghe – the 16th Century monarch of Sri Lanka, is believed to have suffered from combat-related PTSD, and his disturbed behavior was recorded in the ancient scripts. The king’s abnormal behavior pattern was described in the Chulawansaya – the ancient chronicle and by the Portuguese historian Fernão de Queyroz. In his publication titled ‘Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon, Queyroz writes about King Seethawaka Rajasinghe ‘s behavior in the later stages in detail. These writings came prior to Samuel Pepy’s diary.  

The Portuguese came to Sri Lanka in 1505 and launched a massive armed campaign against the islanders. The King Seethawaka Rajasinghe (1544 A.D.D – 1593 A.D) was a great warrior who came to the battlefield at the age of 16. He fought against the Portuguese invaders and witnessed many deaths and destruction. He was a fearless fighter who used proficient war tactics and overpowered the fully equipped and fully trained Portuguese Army that was considered a superpower in the 16th century.  e King Seethawaka Rajasinghe defeated the Portuguese in a number of decisive battles. His military campaigns prevented Sri Lanka from becoming a Portuguese Colony. Following long years of combat,  King Seethawaka Rajasinghe was exhausted and unquestionably suffered from battle fatigue. In the later years,  King Seethawaka Rajasinghe showed outbursts of anger, irritability, deep mistrust, alienation, emotional numbing and various other PTSD-related symptoms.

YouTube Presentation: 

King Seethawaka Rajasinghe -The Monarch who suffered from PTSD

History & Psychology Discussion: By Professor Raj Somadeva and Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge;

Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wsp9FlDeyU