Yes, I don't think "adrenalin junkie" quite fits either.  He's not constantly thrill-seeking by any means.  I get the impression that there has to be a purpose to it (saving lives, etc.).  I'm reminded of the quote from the commentary about Mary - she can go 6 months without an adventure, but not seven, or something like that.  John did seem to be suffering when there was no adventure in his life.  His dreams show he's not only missing the war but missing Sherlock, he rushes out to rescue somebody and doesn't seem at all bothered about encountering violence, he's delighted when Sherlock "recruits" him (by saying it will be dangerous), etc.  Of course he could have PTSD as well, but I find it simpler to think of him not having PTSD but missing the battlefield, as Mycroft suggests.

Now Mycroft doesn't say that John's hand would never shake under stress.  But there when he's in what appears to be a dangerous situation, abducted by what appears to be a criminal mastermind, he's fine.  He's also fine when he kills the cabbie later (his hands didn't shake).  So it looks like it doesn't always happen when he's under stress - stress isn't the trigger.  As I said, I need to watch again to see what I think the triggers are, but I have in my mind that it's more emotional - things like anger or anxiety, rather than danger and violence. 

Anyway, what's interesting to me about Wellingtongoose's explanation is that it helps to explain why John chose to train as a GP in the first place - he didn't.  I've always wondered why he would choose that career path when he's so clearly not suited to it.  If it was because of the army's needs, that makes sense - and leaving it, then re-enlisting to see action makes sense.  (And coping with his work while he's with Sherlock, but finding it mind-numbingly boring when they're apart also makes sense). 

Last edited by Liberty (June 14, 2015 9:12 am)

The "missing the battlefield" may not be what most people think of as PTSD, but it is, from what I've read, a not-uncommon reaction to people who have been abruptly transitioned from a war zone back to everyday life--their systems are geared up for a high-stress, high-adrenaline world, and suddenly it's not there. And an adrenaline high is a real, physical thing, where you see better, hear better, think faster, move faster, everything is heightened, just as with uppers. (Which is why some vets get hooked on uppers of one sort or another.)

I never heard about using crime fighting being used as a therapy for this IRL...but I imagine that knowing danger might happen at any time is rather like being in a modern war zone--there might be a fight at any time but there are more days of hurry-up-and-wait. It could be seeing the battlefield is there with sporadic instances of experiencing it is enough.

Very true!

Sherlock Holmes wrote:

Yeah, and that can lead to depression, which I think John was more in danger of suffering from than PTSD.
Depression is though, considered a symptom of PTSD so it's possible he was misdiagnosed. Having said that, nowhere in the show does it actually say that John HAS been diagnosed with PTSD. He was seeing his psychiatrist because he was "having trouble adjusting to civilian life" and seemed to be drifting, thinking his life was meaningless and with no direction.

ITA.

Sherlock Holmes wrote:

Yeah, and that can lead to depression, which I think John was more in danger of suffering from than PTSD.
Depression is though, considered a symptom of PTSD so it's possible he was misdiagnosed. Having said that, nowhere in the show does it actually say that John HAS been diagnosed with PTSD. He was seeing his psychiatrist because he was "having trouble adjusting to civilian life" and seemed to be drifting, thinking his life was meaningless and with no direction.

Yes, I think what we see at the beginning, superficially at least, looks very similar to the start of depression.  I know the first dreaming segment is open to interpretation, but to me, it looks as if he wakes up ready for action, then blinks, sees the grey reality of his lonely room, and his face falls.  Yes, I agree, that he could possibly have PTSD (with associated depression), but I do have it in mind that Mycroft is quite clear that he doesn't  - Mycroft isn't a psychiatrist, but he is very perceptive and there's no reason to think he's wrong. 

There's an interesting take here: that although John isn't suffering from PTSD, he believes he is.   In that case, both Sherlock and Mycroft are very perceptive in understanding right away what John's "problem" really is.   And it's probably helpful to John that they pointed it out.

Vhanja wrote:

Liberty wrote:

 I know the first dreaming segment is open to interpretation, but to me, it looks as if he wakes up ready for action, then blinks, sees the grey reality of his lonely room, and his face falls. 

I always interpreted that scene as a mix of the horror his life has become - haunted by the horrors of the war when he sleeps, and haunted by the nothingness his life has become when awake. 
 

That interpretation would not match Mycroft's comment in ASIP, about John missing the war.

I tihnk it does fit. I don't think he wants wars any more than Sherlock wants people to be murdered (or firefighters want housefires, etc.), but both are drawn towards taking action.  I don't think there's anything unfeeling or sinister about it, but it's true that both are also excited about going to see a murder scene in ASIP. 

Last edited by Liberty (June 20, 2015 9:26 pm)

But is he really dreaming about the "horror" of war?  Is that how he's experiencing it?  The footage is kind of ambiguous.  And if it's to show he has PTSD, then why is Sherlock shown as part of the same PTSD in HLV?  He's not haunted by the horrors of Sherlock: he misses him.  Yes, of course he misses him as a friend and not just for the thrill of the chase, but I think we are shown that Sherlock has replaced what he previously missed. 

(And I do think that even if he saw loads of Sherlock but wasn't involved in his work, he would eventually yearn to go on cases with him.   Just look at how Sherlock recruits him in HLV.  He knows what he likes ).

To be honest, I think a high-adrenaline hobby might help somebody like John, but it wouldn't fill that gap - it would miss the meaning of what he's doing (in my opinion).  In both cases (fighting wars or fighting crime) the purpose is supposedly for good, isn't it?  The goal is still, ultimately, protecting people and saving lives?   There's a point to it, beyond self-gratification.  (I honestly don't think John would have followed Sherlock down an evil route, however fascinating and exciting).

I think it would be really unfair to assume that everybody who is drawn to more dangerous or stimulating occupations is incapable of empathy or concern.  If John had enjoyed being on the crash team at the hospital, would he be criticised for that?  (Actually, I do think John is a little bit lacking in empathy as a GP, but that's another issue, and I think it's related to his dissatisfaction with that role). 

Last edited by Liberty (June 21, 2015 7:35 am)

I know, it is confusing, but Mycroft does say that the tremor is due to missing the war.