In regards to your recent post, I recently rewatched "When She Was Bad" and saw the start of the long running theme of Buffy's PTSD: Buffy is troubled, so becomes more and more isolated, which makes it worse. The thing is, instead of her friends not asking her what's wrong and offering her support, they go behind her back and discuss "what to do with her". And the thing that REALLY frustrates me is that they KNOW what's wrong with her after a while, yet do nothing about it. (1/2)
So when Willow asks, “GOD, what is WRONG with you?” in 2x01, it’s really sucky of her because in the last few scenes, Giles has already told her what’s wrong. So Buffy not talking, the Scoobies not being good friends, something life threateningly dangerous happens as a result. They all blame Buffy. Buffy is incredibly hard on herself, and learns to repress her feelings to focus on the “bigger picture”: protecting everyone else HAS to come before herself. And that pattern always continues (2/2).
I couldn’t have put it better myself.
We see this pattern in When She Was Bad, we see it in Becoming with Joyce, we see it in Dead Man’s Party, we see it when Buffy is left to claw her way out of her own grave after being dragged out of heaven, then feeling the need to conceal what happened to save her friend’s feelings. Buffy is trapped in a constant state of emotional repression, having to hide her depression and PTSD for the sake of her friends. It say a lot that in season 6 she felt she could only confide in Spike, a soulless mass murdering demon who has tried to kill her at least half a dozen times. That doesn’t reflect well on her support system.
Really though, as much as my heart aches for this element of the series, it feels very realistic and relatable to me. I mean, how many people with PTSD have isolated themselves from their friends for fear that their illness makes them a burden? How many friends and family of people with PTSD react badly or lose patience with their loved one? How many don’t react at all, finding it easier to pretend not to notice than confront it? I hate that this happens to Buffy, she deserves so much better, but as heart-breaking as it is it feels very authentic to me.
xoxox