Unseen Battles
Navigating Attractions with PTSD
This article contains content discussing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which may include descriptions of traumatic experiences such as domestic abuse and combat situations. Readers who have experienced trauma related to these topics may find the content distressing or triggering. Please proceed with caution and prioritize your mental well-being while reading. If you are currently struggling with PTSD or related issues, we recommend seeking support from a qualified mental health professional.
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The battle scars of trauma run deep, impacting daily life for those who suffer from conditions like post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor 2024, 11% of visitors indicated they have an unseen disability, including conditions like PTSD. A startling 34% of people with disabilities reported being discriminated against or having a negative experience at an attraction due to their disability.
Adam Magers
A licensed professional counselor, Adam Magers specializes in aiding those who have served on the frontlines of conflict and crisis—military members, veterans, and first responders who bear the weight of unseen wounds. Magers himself deals with PTSD. A veteran of the Iraq War, Magers recounts the harrowing experiences of combat, the relentless grip of panic attacks, and the long, arduous road to healing. Today, Magers has found ways to deal with his PTSD symptoms and guides others through their own journeys. He created a program for The Battle Within, an organization dedicated to helping veterans and first responders find healing.
PTSD has often been associated with veterans—with good reason: more than 7% of veterans will have PTSD at some point in their life. The number is significantly higher for veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. PTSD is not limited to veterans, though. An estimated 6% of all adults will have PTSD in their lifetime. Magers explains, “Anyone who experiences a life-threatening trauma or traumatic loss is at risk of developing the pattern of symptoms. These traumatic events bruise the psyche. In the moment of these traumatic events, defenses get activated to protect us. In that moment of trauma, we catalog and store our experiences and note all sights, sounds, and aspects. Later, if we experience an association or reminder of that moment, it can send you right back to the trauma.”
Magers explains his journey, “I was in the Army for eight years as a combat medic. I fought in the Battle of Sadr City. It was incredibly intense. After I came home in 2008, I spent the first year drunk. I started having panic attacks and PTSD symptoms in 2009. I remember trying to go to a Blink 182 concert and had another panic attack. That’s when things really started unraveling.”
PTSD left Magers unable to participate fully in life for many years. He was always on edge. However, as he battled through the panic attacks, he also started training to become a therapist. Now, he feels he has addressed the underlying issues and is no longer constantly tortured by panic attacks.
Magers says, “I’ve had both personal and professional experience trying to reach a level of healing. It feels like society is becoming more aware that mental health impacts everyone. Everyone has a friend or family member who suffers in some way. We’re working to create a world in which people don’t have to hide from everyone and everything.”
There are ways attractions can help support people with PTSD. Trigger warnings can help people know what to expect. Magers recalls being at a baseball game and not expecting the fireworks. Magers says, “An announcement before the game saying, ‘Be aware that after each home run, there will be a volley of fireworks’ can give those with PTSD a chance to prepare.”
Another trigger for many with PTSD is the sense of feeling trapped. This is part of the reason Magers opts for places like zoos with wide paths and open spaces. Magers explains, “One of the ultimate effects of trauma is that it robs your sense of autonomy. Your body's being hijacked by these symptoms. When people feel stuck, it heightens their sense of danger. If they feel like they can't get out of a situation, it drives up their experience of hyperarousal or paranoia where there's a fear that something bad could happen.”
Being around alcohol and people who are intoxicated can also be very triggering for some people. Alcohol is frequently involved in cases of domestic abuse. Magers suggests adding alcohol-free spaces.
“One of the defenses that is implicated with trauma and anxiety disorders are things like dissociation, where you start to split off from the thoughts, the feelings, the emotions, the sensations in your body. You'll start feeling numb, and you can't really feel yourself,” Magers explains. Creating spaces with naturalistic and tactile experiences can help. Magers says, “I would love to walk into a room that feels very soft and more homelike with plants and maybe even Zen spa music. I think fountains are a great thing, particularly the kind that invites you to put your hand in to touch the water. Doing something tactile can bring you back into your body. Putting your hand in a cold fountain or massage balls where you can do trigger points can help you ground yourself in your body.”.
Magers suggests that prioritizing psychological and emotional safety through expert consultation is an essential part of design. He states, “It’s probably the most brilliant thing that somebody could do when they're developing any kind of attraction. It's wise to have a consultant speaking more about psychological and emotional safety. Who's likely to use this space? What are the things in this environment, including the type of people who are likely to be there, that might drive away other potential customers?”
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