As Caruth explains, certain wounds represent "…events experienced too soon, too unexpectedly to be fully known and is therefore not available to the consciousness until it imposes itself again, repeatedly in the nightmares and repetitive actions of the survivor" (4). This description appears to allude indirectly to common symptoms and signs of PTSD. This perspective also shows how what the mind cannot process will still create a ripple effect in the actions of the human being and in the dreams of the unconscious mind. Thus, the wound still needs to be properly dealt with or else the symptoms of PTSD will persist, particularly with individuals from such a group who've lived through such a disturbing event as the Holocaust. If events are not properly dealt with, there's always the danger of becoming re-traumatized, something which Holocaust victims today are potentially dealing with.
'As they approach old age, they face new challenges, including retirement, declining health and losing a spouse, and this may reactivate their extreme early stresses'" (apa.org). This means that a trauma, or a wound in the mind, needs to be treated as seriously has a snapped joint, a broken femur or a blow to the head. Rehabilitation and therapy must be done and consistently done throughout life in order to ensure that the wound does subsist in tormenting the individual.
Works Cited
Apa.org, "Psychological Pain of Holocaust Still Haunts Survivors." Apa.org. APA, 20 Sep
2010. Web. 11 Jun 2013.
