The sharp glass coated string of the kite wound Amir's hands, but a traumatic event wounds his life. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD is a mental health condition caused by experiencing or being a victim of a terrifying event. It can be solved with extensive therapy, including psychoanalysis. In Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner,the protagonist Amir commits an unforgettable act of betrayal on his loyal friend Hassan which causes Amir to undergo a severe case of post traumatic stress disorder, which occurs following the experience of a traumatic event and can be treated through psychological means, including Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs after the victim suffers from a traumatic experience, and also has many symptoms. According to David Riggs at Mental Health America, "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a traumatic event". A traumatic event could be anything from a fatal event such as war and military combat, terrorism, natural disasters, or any other serious incidents or accidents. In addition, someone who suffers from PTSD could be a survivor rape or a victim of assault, both physical and sexual in their adulthood or childhood. Of the many symptoms, the most common are repeatedly thinking about the trauma and sleep disorders (Peters 2014). A victim may have several vivid nightmares of the event, and also suffer from insomnia. In addition, the victim may also be constantly alert or on guard and avoiding reminders of the trauma (Peters 2014). The victim may be anxious and obsessive with staying safe, and also become detached from friends and family, and avoid people or events that remind them of the trauma. As a treatment, there is a variety of psychotherapy, Exposure therapy, Psychoanalysis and Cognitive processing therapy (Maher, Asnis and Rego 2006).
