"If PTSD is caused by an
event where there is no actual physical harm from the agent causing the fear,
then the person causing the event is not to blame, unless they are the ones
that subsequently drum up the fear. In the case of TMI, e.g., TMI causes
the event, which causes no harm, but the NRC, the State of PA, the media, and
the ignorance of the residents effectively create a state of panic.
Who's to blame?
At some point, we, as a society, must accept
that there are risks taken for the ultimate benefit of all. Nothing is
100% safe, ever. But, how should we parcel risk of being scared of
something that doesn't harm us, except for the fear we experience that it
might harm us? That's the question the PTSD from TMI poses."
Barbara,
It is unlikely that the news media, and government officials who inflamed
public fears following the TMI event intended to cause PTSD.
Similarly, drunk drivers don't intend to kill people. Those who yell fire in a
crowded theater may believe it to be a harmless prank. Nevertheless, in
these cases the behavior is considered criminal. Perhaps a law suit
against irresponsible actions of the news media related to TMI might
have some merit.
BTW, as I recall there was one tabloid
publication following TMI that claimed the effects of the TMI
accident were trivial and should be of no concern. That was the National
Inquirer. I guess at the time such "news" was considered
sensational.
Jerry