Education in Movies

This past week I learned how valuable the media can be in education. I had to create a presentation on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder for my psychology class. In order to make our project more interesting we decided to include some movie clips that demonstrate someone with symptoms of PTSD. Our most valuable clip came from the movie American Sniper, a true story about a man named Chris Kyle who was one of the best snipers in U.S. military history. As I watched the clip and various others that we found, I realized that through movies I am able to witness things that I would not normally see in my own life. I have never known someone with PTSD, nor have I ever seen the symptoms of it. Through movies I was able to see what someone with PTSD looks like and what it is that they actually go through. Of course movies tend to dramatize; however, they can still give more of a perspective on things. I am grateful that through movies I am able to see new places, new experiences, and get a closer look at what it's like to be someone completely different than who I am.