Manchester by the Sea & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This past weekend, I saw the Oscar-nominated film, Manchester by the Sea, at Nashville’s own and newly renovated Belcourt Theatre. For those of you unfamiliar with The Belcourt, I highly recommend you check it out – and become a member. It’s a non-profit organization, one of Nashville’s most vibrant arts organizations and a leader among the country’s art houses regionally and nationally. It’s a great place to catch independent, foreign and classic films. Plus, it’s centrally located (very close to Vanderbilt) and just steps away from charming coffee shops, clothing stores and restaurants (did someone say Grilled Cheeserie?).

Spoiler Alert: I’ll try to keep it broad, but this blog entry won’t make much sense unless I can go into a little detail about the film.

What Makes Manchester by the Sea Interesting To Me

Manchester by the Sea is a touching story about Lee Chandler, played by Casey Affleck, a man who experienced great loss and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of a horrific accident – and then struggled when he had to return to his hometown years later to bury his brother and assume guardianship of his nephew.

The beauty and irony of Manchester by the Sea was that the hyperarousal, avoidance, disturbances in mood and thoughts, intrusive memories and self-blame so characteristic of PTSD were so artfully portrayed by Affleck and so apparent to the viewer, and yet other characters even those closest to him only saw a reactive, cold and distant person. They were left feeling shut out, rejected, alienated and confused by him. As a therapist, these feelings are all too common when working with individuals who have experienced traumatic life events and suffer from PTSD.

How Common Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD?

PTSD is fairly common, with an estimated 7.8 percent of Americans experiencing it in their lifetime, yet people aren’t always quick to recognize it or seek treatment, although many treatments are known to be effective.

The Saddest Part of Manchester by the Sea

For me, what was disturbing about the film was not that it was a very sad story or that Lee Chandler had a really difficult life, but that he didn’t seek treatment and those around him didn’t appear to know how to intervene. The film was beautifully done and quite realistic, but the reality portrayed is one that I dedicate my life to shifting. I hope that in some small way, I can not only help to heal my clients who are suffering, but also help to educate the community-at-large about issues that they don’t know much about or how to resolve.

Lee Chandler said, “I can’t beat it,” when explaining why he couldn’t stay in his hometown. In my office, I often hear similar phrases, such as “It’s hopeless” or “I’m powerless” uttered by clients suffering from mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety or PTSD.

However, the truth is – there is hope. Mental health struggles, no matter how seemingly difficult, can be overcome. I see examples of this in my work on a daily basis and it’s truly inspiring.

There’s a glimmer of hope in the film, as well. Michelle Williams’ character who also experienced extreme loss appeared to be moving on with her life, accepting responsibility for her behavior in response to their shared tragedy and building a seemingly satisfying new life and family.

Effective Treatments For PTSD

There are multiple types of treatment that can be helpful for those suffering with PTSD. Here are some commonly used approaches:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Group therapy
• Family therapy
• Use of medication

If you live in the Nashville area and you someone you know is suffering from PTSD or another mental health issue, I encourage you to contact me. If I cannot help you, I would be glad to connect you with another treatment provider.

Take Good Care,

Dan