Postmodern Stress Disorder (PMSD): A Possible New Disorder
Open accessAbstract
The murder of cardiovascular surgeon, Michael Davidson, MD, suggests the existence of a new disorder, postmodern stress disorder. This disorder is characterized by repetitive exposure to digital images of violence in a variety of electronic media, including films, television, video games, music videos, and other online sources. This disorder appears to be a variant of posttraumatic stress disorder, and shares with it excessive stimulation of the amygdala and loss of the normal inhibitory inputs from the orbitofrontal cingulate cortical gyrus. In postmodern stress disorder, repetitive digital microtraumas appear to have an effect similar to that of macrotraumas of warfare or civilian assaults. Other elements of the disorder include the development of fixed ideas of bullying or public shaming, access to weapons, and loss of impulse control. This syndrome could explain a number of previously inexplicable murders/suicides. Violence against health care professionals is a profound concern for the medical profession, as are assaults on nonclinicians. The recommendation is made to change forensic procedures to include obtaining historic information concerning the use of digital media during investigations of violent crimes and murders so that the disorder may be further characterized. Gaining an understanding of this disorder will require a multidisciplinary approach to this life-threatening public health problem. Research should also focus on the development and evaluation of possible antidotes to postmodern toxicities.
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Eiser described 'postmodern stress disorder' as a variation of PTSD, where repetitive exposure to digital images of violence may have an impact similar to warfare or civilian assaults.
“In 2015, Eiser, [10] described the « postmodern stress disorder » as a variation of post-traumatic stress disorder, where repetitive exposure to digital images of violence may have an impact similar to warfare or civilian assaults.”
From Psychological distress in a social media content moderator: A case report (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Eiser, A. R.
- Affiliations
- Drexel University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Eiser, Arnold R.
- ORCID
- Eiser, Arnold R.
- Venue
- The American Journal of Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-11
- Volume
- 128
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1178-1181
- ISSN
- 0002-9343 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1882371811
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 1.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The American Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, violent media exposure, digital media, bullying, impulse control, orbitofrontal cortex, forensic investigation
- MeSH terms
- Homicide, Humans, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Suicide, Television, Violence, Video Games, Internet, Workplace Violence
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