Salman Rushdie, the renowned novelist, recently revealed that despite being stabbed multiple times in 2022, he has surprisingly not developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In an interview with CBS News, Rushdie shared his experiences and thoughts on the attack, which left him blind in one eye.
While many would expect Rushdie to be dealing with anxiety, severe intrusive memories, or other common PTSD symptoms, he revealed that his therapist jokingly attributed his resilience to being a "badass." The therapist even listed the typical symptoms of PTSD and pointed out that they didn't apply to Rushdie's case.
Rushdie explained that while the attack did change some aspects of his life, such as his reading habits – he now prefers iPads over books due to the ease with which he can adjust font size and read in comfort. Additionally, he acknowledged a need for increased security measures when engaging in public activities.
In another poignant moment, Rushdie reflected on becoming an American citizen in 2016 and how that experience might have been altered by his subsequent experiences in the US. He noted that while it was "a hard time" in America, there is still room for improvement and the need to remember a country's better self.
Rushdie's story serves as a testament to his strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Despite facing a significant threat to his life, he has managed to create new works, including a 2024 memoir about the assault, and has found ways to adapt to the changed circumstances.
While many would expect Rushdie to be dealing with anxiety, severe intrusive memories, or other common PTSD symptoms, he revealed that his therapist jokingly attributed his resilience to being a "badass." The therapist even listed the typical symptoms of PTSD and pointed out that they didn't apply to Rushdie's case.
Rushdie explained that while the attack did change some aspects of his life, such as his reading habits – he now prefers iPads over books due to the ease with which he can adjust font size and read in comfort. Additionally, he acknowledged a need for increased security measures when engaging in public activities.
In another poignant moment, Rushdie reflected on becoming an American citizen in 2016 and how that experience might have been altered by his subsequent experiences in the US. He noted that while it was "a hard time" in America, there is still room for improvement and the need to remember a country's better self.
Rushdie's story serves as a testament to his strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Despite facing a significant threat to his life, he has managed to create new works, including a 2024 memoir about the assault, and has found ways to adapt to the changed circumstances.
i'm literally so inspired by salman rushdie's strength & resilience! 
i mean, who needs therapy when you've got a sense of humor about it like that? 
his attitude towards all this is everything 
and honestly, i love how he's taken control of his life & adapted to the changes, even finding ways to use technology to make reading easier for him 
! I mean, you'd think PTSD would be a total bummer for someone who went through what he did, but apparently not for rushdie 
. I guess having a "badass" therapist helped 
? and now he's more of an i pad kind of guy 
, no book for him! but seriously, it's amazing how his attack didn't totally derail his life or his writing career 
! I mean, can you even imagine being stabbed multiple times and still bouncing back like that? It's crazy how he's managed to find ways to adjust to his new reality without letting it get him down. Like, who wouldn't be anxious after what happened to him? But instead of spiraling into PTSD symptoms, he just owns it as a "badass" problem 
.
And that reflection on becoming an American citizen? So poignant. I think we could all learn from his willingness to acknowledge that America isn't perfect, but there's always room for growth and improvement 
.
.
. I mean, have you seen how intense that stabbing must've been? It's crazy he didn't develop PTSD. Wasn't the attack pretty traumatic? 
? Come on! That sounds like a cop-out to me. He needs therapy, period. I'm not saying he doesn't have any PTSD symptoms at all, but this "it's because I'm tough" business doesn't add up.
. I mean think about it, Salman Rushdie went through this traumatic experience but was able to bounce back without any major psychological damage. It raises questions about how our mental health system is funded and implemented 
. Is it because he has the means to afford better therapy and security? 
Or is there something inherent in the way we respond to trauma that's being overlooked by our society?
. It's time for us to take a hard look at our own politics and see how we can create a more compassionate society 
anyway, it's great that he's found ways to cope and adapt... iPads over books, lololol i can see why someone would do that. but seriously though, it's awesome that he's still creating new stuff and using his platform to talk about important issues
he uses iPads now, like a normal person 
Like, isn't PTSD supposed to be super debilitating or something? 
I'm genuinely curious about how Rushdie's brain is handling all this... does he get special permission to not have PTSD or what? 
And on a more serious note, it's crazy that he's still creating new work and adapting to his situation... what's the secret sauce there? 
But seriously though, it's kinda refreshing to see him just shrug it off and say "oh well". I guess you could argue that he's still got some serious PTSD symptoms hidden beneath the surface, but we'll never know for sure. The part about his therapist calling him a "badass" though is pretty funny 
. btw, here's a chart comparing ppl who experience trauma vs those who don't:
. I mean, can you imagine having someone stab you like 5 times and expecting not to develop PTSD? It's like he's defying logic! But at the same time, it's so inspiring to see him adapt and thrive in the face of trauma. His therapist telling him he's a "badass" is literally the best thing I've heard all week 
.
I think it's amazing that Salman Rushdie is doing so well after that horrific attack! You'd think PTSD would be a major thing for him, but instead he's rocking the "badass" vibe with his therapist 
.
! He's like, totally proving that even in the face of trauma PTSD isn't a guarantee, right? 
I mean, we'd expect him to be all messed up and anxious, but instead he's just chillin' 
. And can we talk about how he's adapted to his new circumstances? 
. I mean, who needs therapy when you've got sass and confidence to deal with trauma? 
And I love how he's adapted to the new situation – iPads over books? That's genius! 
.
. His memoir about the assault is definitely going on my to-read list 
. And I love how he pokes fun at his therapist's comment about being a "badass" – that's the kind of attitude we need more of in the world