Causes of Edgar’s Stress-Related Disorder
Edgar Quintero is a complex character in “You’re the Worst” whose experiences as a military veteran with PTSD are central to his story arc. From a biopsychosocial perspective, his disorder can be explained by two causal factors: social/environmental and cognitive/psychological factors. The social/environmental factor is his exposure to combat and traumatic events during his deployment in Iraq, which triggers his physiological stress response and leads to lasting changes in his brain and body. The cognitive/psychological factor is his maladaptive coping strategies and negative self-perceptions, which amplify his distress and impair his functioning. For example, he drinks alcohol excessively, avoids therapy, and feels guilty and worthless about his past actions and thoughts.
Evidence Supporting Edgar’s Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
According to the DSM-5 criteria for PTSD, Edgar meets all the required symptoms and specifiers. He has encountered the occurrence or possibility of death, severe harm, or sexual assault (A1) during his military service. He experiences intrusive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks (B1) that cause him significant distress and interfere with his daily life. He also avoids stimuli or situations that remind him of the trauma (B2).
His cognition and emotional state have been affected negatively, resulting in pessimistic thoughts or emotions, a sense of disconnection, or difficulty experiencing positive feelings (C). Shows increased arousal or reactivity, such as irritability, hypervigilance, or exaggerated startle response (D) (DSM-5, 2022). Additionally, he meets the criteria for the two specifiers: duration, which means symptoms last for more than one month, and functional significance, when symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment.
Formal and Informal Interventions Edgar Considers for Recovery
To help himself get better, Edgar considers both formal and informal interventions. One formal intervention is therapy, which he reluctantly attends. In therapy, he talks about his traumatic memories and emotions, learns coping skills, and gains insights into his behavior and thoughts. One informal intervention is running, which he discovers as a way to release his stress and connect with his body.
Instances of Mental Health Stigma Experienced by Edgar
Unfortunately, Edgar also experiences stigma and discrimination from others due to his PTSD. There was a moment in the video clip when he brought his friend pancakes, and his friend said that during World War I, the official term for PTSD was cowardice. This stigma reinforces Edgar’s negative self-perceptions and makes him feel more isolated and vulnerable.
Reference
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). Web.