Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs after an individual is exposed to disturbing events outside the realm of human experience.

Prevalence is as high as 60% amongst combat veterans. The individual re-experiences the event through intrusive recollections, nightmares, flashbacks, or intense distress when exposed to reminders of the event. The patient may have feelings of detachment, amnesia, emotional numbing, restricted affect or active avoidance of thoughts that may be reminders of the trauma.

San Hieronymo Takeover
In 1970, FOX operative Python revealed to Naked Snake that he constantly suffered from nightmares, due to having killed many people, during the "wetworks" missions he undertook for the CIA. Trained as an Anti-Snake Soldier, he believed he could end his nightmares by killing his former comrade. Also, Elisa mentioned to Snake that the memories of the Kyshtym Disaster that killed her parents still haunted her in her dreams.

Peace Walker Project
Big Boss was a possible sufferer of PTSD, as he constantly experienced flashbacks to his killing of The Boss, profusely sweating whenever he heard The Boss's voice, or when the Mammal Pod referred to him as "Jack." Also, MSF personnel would be sent to Mother Base's sick bay, if they ever began to experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Outer Heaven Uprising and Zanzibar Land Disturbance
After his mission to Outer Heaven, Solid Snake began to suffer from recurring nightmares regarding the incident. He undertook Operation Intrude F014, in an attempt to rid himself of them, and after succeeding in his mission, he believed this had come to pass.

Shadow Moses Incident
When Snake noticed that Meryl was acting strangely, he contacted Nastasha Romanenko, to which she theorized that she was most likely suffering from the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as she had a friend who suffered through that same disorder from fighting in Chechnya and taking his own life six months later.

Big Shell Incident
Raiden, a former child soldier in the Liberian Civil War, constantly had terrible nightmares relating to his suppressed memories of his involvement as a child, making him fearful of the night. This also serves as the primary reason why Raiden also won't allow people to keep him company in his room, not even Rosemary.

Liquid Ocelot's Insurrection
Solid Snake later experienced persistant nightmares of his previous mission to Shadow Moses. Furthermore, Snake theorized that Rat Patrol member Johnny suffered from PTSD, and noted that the SOP System should logically counteract its effects. All four members of The Beauty and the Beast Unit (Laughing Octopus, Raging Raven, Crying Wolf, and Screaming Mantis) were also known to suffer from PTSD, being either witnesses to, or victims of, horrible war crimes.

Soldiers who have experienced PTSD

 * Big Boss
 * Python
 * Solid Snake
 * Elisa
 * Raiden
 * Laughing Octopus
 * Raging Raven
 * Crying Wolf
 * Screaming Mantis