History of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome at Bloomingdale Public Library

Mark Micale, Associate Professor of History and the History of Medicine at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and author of Hysterical Men: the Hidden History of Male Nervous Illness, will appear at Bloomingdale Public Library on Monday, October 6 at 7:00 p.m. to examine the cultural history of post-traumatic stress disorder in a lecture called Hysterical Men: From Shell Shock to PTSD.

There have been many names for post-traumatic stress disorder over the years, but trauma after battle has always been with us. During the Civil War, post-traumatic stress disorder was referred to as Soldier's Heart, with symptoms such as chest-thumping, anxiety, and breathlessness. During World War I, the term used to describe this disorder was shell shock. Not only have the terms used to describe this illness evolved over the years, but so has society's response to this prevalent disorder. "We think this is an important issue for many members of the community, and we are looking forward to hosting Professor Micale so he can shed some light on the history of PTSD and society's reaction to it." said Julie Keating, Adult Services Department Head at Bloomingdale Public Library.

This lecture is part of a month-long community reading event called On the Same Page. Bloomingdale Public Library, Roselle Public Library, and Itasca Community Library annually invite all community members to read the same book and take part in a month of book discussions, lectures, concerts, and programs revolving around the themes of the book. This year's choice is The Light between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. The book, set in post-World War I Australia, explores the consequences of the choices we make. To register for this program, call 630-924-2733. More information about the programs in this series can be found at www.mybpl.org.