Panic Disorder: Stories of Hope - The Daily Show - The Trans Panic Epidemic

Panic Disorder: Stories of Hope




HELLO, I'M WILLARD SCOTT.
USUALLY WHEN I APPEAR
IN FRONT OF A CAMERA,
IT'S TO GIVE THE WEATHER REPORT
OR DELIVER BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO
ONE OF OUR MOST SENIOR CITIZENS.
TODAY I'M HERE FOR
A VERY DIFFERENT REASON.
YOU SEE,
ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO,
DRIVING ACROSS A
BRIDGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
I HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHICH HAD
AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
I WAS A
RELATIVELY YOUNG MAN,
I HAD A GREAT JOB,
A DEVOTED FAMILY,
AND I WAS IN
GOOD PHYSICAL HEALTH.
BUT SUDDENLY,
DRIVING OVER THAT BRIDGE,
I WAS FILLED
WITH TERROR,
CONVINCED I WAS
HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME
THIS HAD HAPPENED TO ME,
BUT THIS TIME
I KNEW THAT SOMETHING
POWERFUL WAS GOING ON.
SHORTLY AFTER THAT,
I LEARNED I WAS HAVING
PANIC ATTACKS, AND THAT I WAS
SUFFERING FROM PANIC DISORDER.
I ALSO FOUND
THE HELP I NEEDED,
AND I'VE LEARNED TO
MANAGE PANIC ATTACKS
SO THEY DON'T
INTERFERE WITH MY LIFE.
I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT
MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE
SUFFER FROM PANIC DISORDER.
LIKE ME ON THAT BRIDGE ALMOST
THIRTY YEARS AGO, MANY OF THEM
KNOW THAT SOMETHING
IS TERRIBLY WRONG,
BUT THEY DON'T
KNOW QUITE WHAT IT IS.
THREE PEOPLE WITH
PANIC DISORDER APPEAR
IN THIS VIDEO TO
TELL THEIR STORIES.
IF THEIR STORIES SOUND FAMILIAR
TO YOU, IF MY STORY HAS SOUNDED
FAMILIAR TO YOU, WATCH CAREFULLY
BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO
SEE ARE, ABOVE ALL,
STORIES OF HOPE.
>> NARRA
GOES TO
KSON
AY IN
THE INDIANA TOWN WHERE HE LIVES,
HE NO LONGER SITS IN THE BACK
ROW SO THAT HE CAN
ESCAPE WITHOUT NOTICE.
LAURA SCHY CAN NOW MAKE THE
TRIP FROM HER LOS ANGELES HOME
TO VISIT HER INFANT
NIECE IN BURBANK,
AND FROM HER NEIGHBORHOOD
IN THE BRONX, TAMMY HOLLAND
CAN ONCE AGAIN CONFIDENTLY
TAKE A CROWDED BUS TO WORK.
LAURA, AND CHUCK,
AND TAMMY HAVE NEVER MET,
BUT EACH VIVIDLY
REMEMBERS THAT FIRST
CONFRONTATION WITH
THEIR SHARED ENEMY.
>> IT WAS AT HOME,
LATE IN THE EVENING,
IN WHAT I THOUGHT
WAS A RELAXED SITUATION
>> CLOSE TO MY HOME,
AND JUST OUT OF THE BLUE.
>> THE LAND WAS COMPLETELY
FLAT WITH NO TREES AND NO SHADE.
IT SEEMED TO ME,
I GOT THIS FEELING THAT THE
WHOLE WORLD WAS
CLOSING IN ON ME.
D
NS.
I STARTED SWEATING AND WHAT
HAPPENED WAS I THOUGHT I WAS
ACTUALLY HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
>> I COULDN'T
GET MY BREATH.
I FELT LIKE I COULD
GET A HEART ATTACK.
I STARTED TO GET NAUSEATED.
>> AND IT STARTS TO
ESCALATE AND I GET LIGHTHEADED
AND JUST LIKE, I'M GONNA DIE.
>> AND THEN I GOT
I DON'T REMEMBER EVER
BEING THAT SCARED BEFORE.
>> NARRATOR:
THESE EPISODES, PANIC ATTACKS,
WERE FRIGHTENING ENOUGH.
BUT AS THE ATTACKS CONTINUED,
IT WAS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT THAT
HAD THE MOST PROFOUND
IMPACT ON THESE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
>> EVERY TIME IT WOULD OCCUR IN
A SITUATION, THAT WOULD BE THE
NEXT THING I WOULD AVOID.
>> NARRATOR: AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR
IS THE MOST DISABLING SYMPTOM
OF PANIC DISORDER.
PSYCHIATRIST
DR. FREDA LEWIS-HALL EXPLAINS.
>> PANIC DISORDER CAN CAUSE FROM
VERY LIMITED IMPAIRMENT TO VERY,
VERY SEVERE IMPAIRMENT.
MUCH OF THE IMPAIRMENT COMES
NOT FROM THE PANIC ATTACKS
IF THEY HAD A
PANIC ATTACK ON THE BUS,
THEY STOP RIDING THE BUS.
IF THEY HAVE ONE
IN A GROCERY STORE,
THEY STOP GOING
TO THE GROCERY STORE.
AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT,
THEIR WORLD BECOMES SMALLER
AND SMALLER AND SMALLER.
>> AS LONG AS I AVOID,
I'M BASICALLY I'M OK.
BUT MY RADIUS IS SO SMALL.
I MEAN I'M HIGHLY
FUNCTIONAL IN A VERY SMALL AREA.
>> NARRATOR: LAURA SCHY
IS HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL.
A SINGLE PARENT,
SHE SUPPORTS HERSELF AND HER
NINE-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, LISA,
IRONICALLY, AS A TRAVEL AGENT.
PLANNING A ROUND-THE-WORLD
TRIP FOR A CLIENT IS EASY.
BUT GETTING HERSELF AROUND TOWN
REQUIRES EXTRAORDINARY PLANNING.
SHE LAYS OUT HER ROUTE IN
TEDIOUS DETAIL TO KEEP HERSELF
FEELING SAFE, FREE FROM ANY
SITUATION THAT SHE THINKS
MIGHT TRIGGER A PANIC ATTACK.
BECAUSE THE PROSPECT OF A PANIC
ATTACK IS SO TERRIFYING, AND THE
SENSE OF DANGER DURING AN ATTACK
IS SO REAL, SHE MAKES SURE SHE
KNOWS WHERE TO FIND EMERGENCY
SERVICES ALONG HER ROUTE.
>> I'LL GO THROUGH MY
ROAD MAPS AND LOOK AT THE ROUTES
THAT I'M MOST LIKELY TO TAKE.
I WILL FIND EVERY FIRESTATION,
BECAUSE THEY ARE LABELED,
AND I HIGHLIGHT THEM.
>> NARRATOR: DR. JACK GORMAN,
A SPECIALIST IN TREATING
PANIC DISORDER, EXPLAINS THAT
THIS EFFORT TO STAY IN SAFE
PLACES IS TYPICAL.
>> AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO HAVE
THEIR PANIC ATTACKS, IF THEY'RE
ME
MIGHT HAVE A PANIC ATTACK AND
IN WHICH THEY FEAR THEY CAN'T
GET HELP RIGHT AWAY.
>> LAURA SUFFERS FROM THE LIMITS
PANIC DISORDER PLACES ON HER
IC
DISORDER WILL HAVE ON LISA.
>> I FEEL BAD WHEN
SHE'S FRIGHTENED.
I FEEL BAD WHEN I KNOW SHE'S
FEELING LIKE SHE WANTS TO TAKE
CARE OF MOMMY, IT'S NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE THAT WAY.
MOMMIES ARE SUPPOSED
TO TAKE CARE OF LITTLE GIRLS.
>> NARRATOR: LAURA WORRIES
ABOUT LISA FOR ANOTHER REASON.
EXPERTS SAY THAT
PANIC DISORDER RUNS IN FAMILIES.
LAURA RECALLS FEELINGS OF PANIC
WHEN SHE WAS HER DAUGHTER'S AGE.
I DIDN'T LIKE ANYTHING
UPSETTING AT ALL, MOTION,
AS A CHILD, THE TEACUPS
AT DISNEYLAND, YOU SPIN.
IF I THINK BACK NOW,
I HAD A PANIC ATTACK.
>> NARRATOR: THIS MAY LOOK
LIKE CHILD'S PLAY, BUT IT'S PART
OF A TREATMENT, CALLED
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY.
IT'S CAREFULLY DESIGNED
TO HELP LAURA TAME THE DEMONS
THAT HAVE PLAGUED HER
SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
>> REALLY FOCUS
ON THE SENSATIONS.
>> NARRATOR: DR. MICHELLE CRASKE
MEETS WITH LAURA WEEKLY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AT LOS ANGELES.
TOGETHER, THEY ARE TRYING TO
EVOKE IN LAURA THE SENSATIONS,
DIZZINESS, OR SHORTNESS
OF BREATH, THAT ARE THE
HALL
CKS.
>> ALL RIGHT NOW, STOP.
WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?
SEE IF YOU CAN MOVE
AWAY FROM THE TABLE.
JUST WALK AROUND.
LET YOURSELF FEEL
THAT WEAK, DIZZY FEELING.
KEEP MOVING.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD
DONE THIS SOMEPLACE ELSE,
I WOULDN'T BE
TOO HAPPY RIGHT NOW.
>> BECAUSE THE SAFETY OF
THE ENVIRONMENT HELPS YOU.
>> COGNITIVE THERAPY,
WHICH WAS REALLY INTRODUCED
FAIRLY RECENTLY, TRIES TO
TARGET THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS,
THE NEGATIVE IMAGES, THAT GO
THROUGH THE PERSON'S MIND,
THAT IRRATIONAL QUALITY TO FEAR.
>> NARRATOR: EXPERTS POINTS
OUT THAT TREATMENT FOR PANIC
DISORDER INVOLVES MEDICATION,
OR COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY,
OR BOTH.
>> I'D LIKE YOU TO
SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES,
WE'LL JUST LEAN
AGAINST THE WALL HERE
AND PRACTICE DOING SOME
OF THE SLOW BREATHING.
>> NARRATOR: WORKING WITH
DR. CRASKE, LAURA PUTS HER
NEW SKILLS TO THE TEST,
RECLAIMING TERRITORY THAT SHE
HAD LOST TO PANIC DISORDER.
EXPOSURE TRAINING, CONFRONTING
SITUATIONS THAT SHE HAS AVOIDED
FOR SO LONG, IS AN
ELEMENT OF LAURA'S THERAPY.
>> WATCH THE DOORS OPEN.
>> I'M NERVOUS, A LUMP.
>> GOOD, YOU'RE NOT
LOOKING AT THE LIGHT.
>> I'M DELIBERATELY NOT,
IS IT MOVING?
>> NARRATOR: LAURA CONTINUES
HER THERAPY TO MANAGE HER FEAR,
SHE ALSO TAKES MEDICATION TO
KEEP HER PANIC ATTACKS AT BAY.
IF THE ROAD BACK
FOR LAURA SEEMS TEDIOUS,
SHE REMINDS US THAT TO HER
IT'S FILLED WITH VICTORIES.
>> THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN GETTING TO WORK WAS A
BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ME.
I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS GOING
BETW
THREE MILES AWAY.
IT'S A BIGGER EFFORT,
WHAT DID
NTLY,
THAT THE TEST OF SUCCESS
IN ONE'S LIFE IS NOT WHAT YOU
ACHIEVED, BUT THE OBSTACLES
YOU OVERCAME TO ACHIEVE IT.
AND I DO IT EVERY DAY.
>> THAT'S GOOD!
GOTTA KEEP DOIN' IT.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK JACKSON IS
ALSO DOING THINGS THESE DAYS
THAT HE HASN'T DONE IN YEARS.
CHUCK AND HIS WIFE KAREN LIVE IN
THIS FRAME HOUSE THEY DESIGNED
AND BUILT FOR THEMSELVES IN
THE GREEN INDIANA COUNTRYSIDE.
THEY HAVE BEEN MARRIED
FOR ALMOST THIRTY YEARS.
SHORTLY AFTER THEY WED,
CHUCK SERVED A TOUR OF DUTY
IN VIETNAM.
HE SAYS NOTHING HE SAW IN
SOUTHEAST ASIA INSPIRED THE
SAME TERROR HE FELT DURING
HIS FIRST PANIC ATTACK ON A
HOT SUMMER DAY NEAR KOKOMO.
CHUCK STILL HAS THE CAR
HE WAS DRIVING WHEN HE HAD
THAT FIRST PANIC ATTACK,
AND ON A SUNNY DAY,
HE WILL TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE.
BUT FOR YEARS,
TO AVOID THE HEAT HE THOUGHT
MIGHT TRIGGER AN ATTACK,
HE LEFT HOME ONLY TO GO TO WORK.
>> WHEN I WASN'T WORKING
I WAS SPENDING MY DAYS IN
THE BASEMENT WHERE IT WAS COOL.
HEAT WAS A TERRIBLE THING,
AND IN SOUTHERN INDIANA WITH
THE HUMIDITY I DIDN'T
WANT TO GO OUTSIDE AT ALL.
>> NARRATOR: AS THE FEAR
OF PANIC ATTACKS BEGAN TO
RESHAPE HIS LIFE, EVEN THE
FAMILIAR THREE-HOUR DRIVE
TO HIS PARENTS' HOME
FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER
WAS TOO TERRIFYING TO COMPLETE.
>> I SAID, andquot;I CAN MAKE IT.andquot;
WE TURNED AROUND AGAIN.
AND THIS TIME WE MADE TEN MILES
AND I COULDN'T MAKE IT SO I HAD
TO GO BACK AND CALL MY PARENTS
AND TELL THEM THAT WE WEREN'T
GOING TO MAKE IT, COULDN'T
MAKE IT TO THANKSGIVING.
>> WE WOULD GO A WAYS
AND THEN WE'D TURN BACK.
THEN WE'D GO A
WAYS AND TURN BACK.
I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN TWICE.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE THREE,
FOUR, FIVE TIMES WE TRIED IT,
YOU KNOW, AND GETTING
MORE UPSET EACH TIME.
AND OF COURSE NOTHING
PREPARED AT HOME SO WE HAD A
DISM
A RE
R IN
FAMILY WAS ONE HUNDRED
FIFTY MILES NORTH OF US.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK
REPEATEDLY SOUGHT HELP.
WITH APPROPRIATE MEDICATION,
HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING
AND SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.
BUT HE STILL AVOIDED
ANY PLACE HE THOUGHT MIGHT
TRIGGER AN ATTACK,
AND HIS PHOBIAS,
AS MUCH AS THE ATTACKS
THEMSELVES, DIMINISHED HIS LIFE.
>> WE'RE PRETTY SURE THAT
IF YOU LET THAT GO ON,
IT GETS HARDER AND
HARDER TO TREAT, THAT IS,
THAT PEOPLE BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED
TO THESE PHOBIAS THAT EVEN IF
YOU CAN BLOCK THEIR PANIC
ATTACKS, THE PHOBIAS MAY GET
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN, AND
THE PERSON MAY CONTINUE TO
HAVE
>> NARRATOR: FOR ALMOST
TWO DECADES, CHUCK NEVER LEFT
THE STATE OF INDIANA.
AND, WHILE THEIR TWO CHILDREN,
JENNY AND ADAM, GREW FROM BABIES
TO TEENAGERS TO YOUNG ADULTS,
CHUCK AND KAREN FELT CHEATED BY
THE LIMITS THAT PANIC DISORDER
IMPOSED ON THEIR FAMILY LIFE.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF GUILTY
FEELING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE
TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN ON TRIPS
THE WAY OTHER FAMILIES DID.
OTHER KIDS WOULD
GO TO DISNEY WORLD
AND THINGS LIKE THAT
AND WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
>> I WAS AFRAID I'D BE
LIVING THIS WAY ALL MY LIFE
BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO.
I WANTED TO FIND RELIEF.
>> NARRATOR: FOUR YEARS AGO,
OUT
A NEARBY PSYCHOLOGIST
WHO WAS TREATING PEOPLE
>> HE GAVE US SOME TOOLS
AND HE SHOWED US HOW TO DO
IN VIVO TRAINING WHERE YOU
WENT INTO A SITUATION JUST A
LITTLE BIT AND THEN PULL BACK,
AND THEN A LITTLE BIT FARTHER
AND PULL BACK.
>> NARRATOR: WITH THE HELP
OF THE TRAINING AND CONTINUED
MEDICATION, CHUCK'S
WORLD BEGAN TO EXPAND.
GE
JENNY DECIDED TO GO TO
COLLEGE IN PENNSYLVANIA.
CHUCK DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL
THE SUNDAY MORNING SHE LEFT,
IF HE WOULD TRY TO MAKE
THE DRIVE WITH HER AND KAREN.
>> I WENT TO CHURCH BY MYSELF
AND I HALFWAY HOPED THAT THEY
WOULD BE GONE WHEN I GOT HOME.
I HALF-WAY HOPED,
AND THEY WEREN'T.
SO I CLIMBED IN AND I KEPT
THINKING, EVERY PLACE WE WENT,
WELL, LET'S SEE, I CAN STOP AND
STAY HERE UNTIL THEY GET BACK.
I CAN STOP AND STAY HERE.
AND THEN WE GOT INTO OHIO
AND I WAS IN THE BACK WITH MY
EARPHONES AND THE CURTAINS
PULLED IN THE VAN AND WE GOT
INTO OHIO AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
I STARTED FEELING, I'VE MADE IT.
I'VE MADE IT THIS FAR.
MAYBE I CAN MAKE IT FARTHER.
AND AFTER THAT,
THE TRIP JUST WAS A DREAM.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK IS
NO LONGER IN THERAPY.
HE STILL TAKES MEDICATION
TO CONTROL HIS FEAR OF HAVING
A PANIC ATTACK.
AND HE SAYS EVERY DAY
HE WORKS A LITTLE AT COMPLETELY
TAMING HIS PANIC DISORDER.
THIS MORNING IN CHURCH,
FOR INSTANCE, HE SAT ONLY
SEVEN ROWS FROM THE FRONT,
CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> ANOTHER THING THAT WE DID
TODAY THAT I HAVEN'T DONE IN
YEARS AND THAT WAS
SIT ON THE AISLE.
I ALWAYS SIT ON THE FAR SIDE
BY THE WINDOW BY THE SIDE AISLE
SO I WON'T MAKE A STIR IF
I HAVE TO GET UP AND LEAVE.
SO TODAY WAS A GOOD TEST FOR ME.
>> NARRATOR: CHUCK MEASURES
HIS PROGRESS IN WHAT MAY LOOK
LIKE SMALL STEPS, EVEN AS SMALL
AS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN PEWS IN
A COUNTRY CHURCH, BUT TO CHUCK,
THOSE SMALL STEPS ADD UP TO A
WORLD WITHOUT BOUNDARIES.
>> I GOT MY LIFE BACK, YES.
THE FACT THAT
I'M FREE TO TRAVEL,
THAT I'M FREE
TO GO WHEREVER I WANT TO.
IT'S LIKE BEING BORN AGAIN.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY HOLLAND
LIVES A WORLD AWAY FROM
CHUCK JACKSON, BUT SHE SOUNDS
REMARKABLY LIKE HIM WHEN SHE
TALKS ABOUT HER VICTORY
OVER PANIC DISORDER.
>> I FELT LIKE
I HAD REGAINED MY LIFE.
MY LIFE WAS UNDER CONTROL AGAIN.
AND IT WAS MINE.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY AND WALTER
COBBS LIVE IN THE SOUTH BRONX.
>> HEY WALTER.
IT'S STOPPED SNOWING.
WHY DON'T WE GO OUT,
GO FOR A WALK?
>> NARRATOR: NOT TOO LONG AGO,
A WALK IN THE PARK AWAY FROM THE
SECURITY OF HOME,
HER SAFE PLACE,
WOULD HAVE BEEN
FULL OF HIDDEN TERROR.
>> LISTEN TO THE TREES.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY HAD HER
FIRST PANIC ATTACK ONLY
FOUR YEARS AGO,
WHEN SHE WAS TWENTY-NINE.
>> IT SEEMED AS IF
I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK.
AT THAT MOMENT,
I BECAME KIND OF FRANTIC
AND I COULDN'T CALM DOWN.
I COULDN'T CALM DOWN AT ALL.
AND IT GOT TOTALLY BLOWN OUT
OF PROPORTION TO THE POINT
G.
>> NARRATOR: WALTER CALLED AN
AMBULANCE AND WENT WITH TAMMY
TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL.
>> THEY TOLD ME THERE
WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME.
THEY TOLD ME JUST TO CALM DOWN
AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING
WRONG WITH ME.
AND THAT MADE ME A LITTLE
MORE UPSET BECAUSE THERE WAS
SOMETHING THAT
I KNEW WAS WRONG WITH ME,
I WAS HAVING PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS,
AND I COULDN'T ACCEPT WHAT THEY
WERE TELLING ME, YOU KNOW, THAT
ALL I HAD TO DO WAS CALM DOWN.
THAT MAYBE I WAS STRESSED
OUT, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEY JUST SENT ME HOME.
THEY JUST SENT ME HOME.
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY WITHDREW
INTO HER APARTMENT, SEEING IT AS
THE ONLY SAFE
PLACE IN THE WORLD.
LIKE CHUCK JACKSON,
TAMMY FELT HER LIFE SHRINK
INTO A MONOTONOUS
ROUND OF HOME AND WORK.
>> I WAS AT MY WIT'S END
WITH EVERYONE TELLING ME,
andquot;THERE'S NOTHING
WRONG WITH YOU.andquot;
>> NARRATOR: FINALLY,
TAMMY FOUND DR. JACK GORMAN.
HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS
WRONG WITH HER AND HOW TO HELP.
>> WHEN HE EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT
THE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
WAS GOING TO DO FOR ME AND WHAT
KIND OF EXERCISES WE WERE GOING
TO GO THROUGH AND THINGS LIKE
THAT, I STARTED CRYING BECAUSE
I SAID, andquot;HEY THIS IS IT.
THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE, THIS
IS WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THERE
WAS A SPECIFIC NAME FOR IT.andquot;
>> NARRATOR: TAMMY
CONTINUED ON THE MEDICATION
SHE HAD BEEN TAKING,
AND BEGAN COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
WITH DR. GORMAN.
HER LIFE TURNED AROUND
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
EXPERTS SAY THAT IT CAN TAKE
SOME TIME TO FIND THE RIGHT
TREATMENT, MEDICATION,
OR THERAPY, OR A COMBINATION.
KEEP TRYING UNTIL
THE RIGHT TREATMENT IS FOUND.
>> THE FIRST STEP IS TO
MAKE SURE YOU'RE WITH A DOCTOR
OR A THERAPIST WHO IS
OPEN-MINDED AND DOESN'T SAY,
andquot;I DON'T BELIEVE
IN MEDICATION,andquot;
EVE
Y.andquot;
THESE ARE NOT RELIGIONS AND ARE
NOT SUBJECT TO BELIEF, THEY'RE
SUBJECT TO SCIENTIFIC
STUDIES AND ALSO TO WHAT
WORKS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT.
>> THERE'S NO REASON,
I FEEL, THAT ANYONE SHOULD
HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THAT.
THERE'S HELP OUT THERE.
WHETHER IT'S PSYCHOTHERAPY,
WHETHER IT'S MEDICATION,
WHETHER IT'S COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY,
THERE'S DEFINITELY
HELP OUT THERE.
THEY SHOULDN'T
FEEL HOPELESS AT ALL.
>> IF YOU RECOGNIZED YOURSELF,
OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, IN ANY OF
THE PEOPLE WE HAVE JUST SEEN,
OR, IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW,
HAS EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS LIKE
THEIRS, CALL THIS NUMBER:
YOU'LL RECEIVE INFORMATION
ABOUT TREATMENTS THAT CAN HELP.
PANIC DISORDER IS
REAL, AND TREATABLE.
CAPTIONED BY
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY
DEPARTME
FILM
SION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ks0_skVyzA


The Daily Show - The Trans Panic Epidemic




So, what is it
that scares so many people
about transgender communities?
And what's it like to live
as the focus of that fear?
Jessica Williams finds out.
WILLIAMS:
Iowa's most famous
for its cornfields,

butter sculptures, and butter
sculptures of cornfields.

Until last summer, when
transgender woman Meagan Taylor

tried to check in to the Drury
Inn in the city of Des Moines.

We sat down with Taylor herself
for an exclusive tell-all.

I could tell when I checked in
to the hotel that it was...
it was...

Shh. I got this,
real Meagan Taylor.

It was July 12, 2015.

You presented your I.D.
to the hotel manager.

Hi. I have a reservation.

But she was onto you.

Fearing for her life,
she took immediate action.

WOMAN:

And that's when the cops came
and all hell broke loose.

But let's rewind here.

What triggered the cops
to respond?

You pull out a gun,
and then the cops come

and you're arrested?
None of that happened.
Well, did you pull out a knife?
♪ ♪
No.

Well, did you do drugs?

Nothing of the sort.
Well, then why the hell
were you arrested?
Um, I got arrested because
I was a black transgender woman.

Specifically, cops held her
because she didn't have

a prescription
for her hormone pills.

And this is 2016.

What were you doing in Iowa?
I was there going to a funeral.
-You were there for a funeral?
-Yeah.
And did you get to attend
the funeral,
-at least? -I didn't get
to make the funeral at all.
How long were you in jail for?
I was in jail for eight days.
I'm sorry. I...
It's terrible. Take your time.

Ugh, I thought it was tough
being a black woman.

But compared
to a black transgender woman,

I might as well be
a white frat dude

at a Dave Matthews concert.

Transgender women get arrested
all the time,
especially
black transgender women,
just by walking down the street
or anything.

And by anything,
she means literally anything.

Because of discrimination
and profiling,

at least 47%
of black trans people

will have at some point in
their lives been incarcerated.

Let's underline, bold, and set
fire to that
(bleep)
graphic,

because it's 47%.

You think there'd be laws
to correct this.

But instead, this year alone,

state legislatures
have introduced

175 anti-trans bills.

Many make it legal
to discriminate based solely

on religious beliefs.

And then you have
these bathroom bills.

REPORTER:
It would fine
and imprison transgender people

who use public restrooms
that don't match

the gender
on their birth certificate.
WILLIAMS:
That's what's really
triggering this trans panic.

Just listen
to Colorado representative

and Elmer Fudd look-alike
Gordon Klingenschmitt.

Should we fear
the transgender community?
Well, they not only want
to be confused
about their own identity,
but they want the rest of us
to be confused with them.
Now they want the government
to join them in that pretense.
-They're making us into liars.
-Wow.

Okay. I met
with these so-called liars

to find out
what their evil intentions are.

There's a notion that
trans people are perpetrators
in some way, that we're sneaking
and trying to trick you
for the purposes
of having sex with you.
And that's not the case at all.
People just want
to see male and female,
like it has to fit in one
of those two boxes,
and if it doesn't,
it makes people uncomfortable.
-And it's surely not a choice.
-That's all you need to know.

Well, not according
to Klingenschmitt, who thinks

that we're all going to
get attacked in the bathroom.

A man can go into a ladies' room
and assault you
and your little girl.

Especially in
our most important bathrooms.

Next time, ladies,
you go out to Olive Garden,
watch out who's gonna be
in the bathroom.
There's no reported incidences
of any trans person
ever raping or assaulting anyone
in any bathroom ever.
If anything, trans people
are the ones getting assaulted.

These people are up against
some bull(bleep).

There must be some small way
I can help them out.

Give me some offensive comments
or questions,
and I'll give you
some good answers
that you can use
in your day-to-day life.
Why are your feet so small?
Oh. You think my feet are small?
-You have a (bleep).
-Wow. Whew!
Okay, that's guns a-blazing
on that question.
Um, I don't currently
have a (bleep), so...
-How much?
-How much for...?
-Sex.
-Oh, (bleep). Uh...
-How do you have sex? -So,
are your parents ashamed of you?
-What's the gender mark on your
ID? -When do you tell them that
-you're really a man?
-I don't know.
When it's appropriate?
Do you have cadaver tits?
-Don't tell me what that is.
-What's your real name?
-Yeah. I just want to know.
-Yeah. What's your name?
-Tell us.
-Did you chop it off?
Do straight women date you,
-or gay women?
-How much would it cost?
-(overlapping chatter)
-Do you like to suck (bleep)?
-(overlapping chatter)
-What's your real name?
WILLIAMS:
The transgender
community is more oppressed

than I could have ever
imagined,

so why does Gordon feel
so threatened?

Have you ever been attacked
by a transgender person?
Is that why this is happening?
No.
Have you ever had a traumatic
experience with a trans person?
I wouldn't call it
traumatic, no. I-I...
-Devastating?
-Yeah. No.
You haven't?

So why does he feel this way?

Dressing like a woman,
and he's not a woman.
WILLIAMS:
Wait a second.
This guy's a preacher, too?

And he thinks what?

It's not just
a psychological disorder.
It's actually a demonic spirit.
WILLIAMS:

Okay, so now they're possessed?

Go on.

I would be comfortable talking
about religious freedom,
but I'd have to change
into my alter ego
if you're okay with that.
You have to change
into your alter ego?
Who are you, Lady Gaga?
Go on ahead and change.

Okay, hold up.
Is everybody seeing this?

I am actually waiting
for this man to transition

so that he can feel
more comfortable

during our interview.

Oh, and also, hey, heads up.

I am not judging him
for his personal choice.

Until he took out his phone

to judge others
for their personal choices.

And Deuteronomy 22:5 says,
andquot;A woman must not wear
men's clothing,
andquot;nor a man wear women's clothing
for the Lord your God detests
anyone who does this.andquot;
I don't remember that part,
-but there is a part
about shellfish... -Mm-hmm.
-...or stoning people to death.
-Mm-hmm.
Getting tattoos.
But what about
their sincerely held
religious beliefs?
They can go (bleep)
in their (bleep) hand,
-because we have separation
of church and state. -Mm.
Because we believe
in our constitution.
WILLIAMS:
Nevertheless,
these bathroom bills

are being passed,

and Gordon is doing everything
he can to make it happen.

Get used to the idea
of having your women
and children share bathrooms
with cross-dressing men
who are going to expose
themselves to you.
Do you, for whatever reason,
associate being transgender
with being a pervert?
I mean, that is perversion.
It's people who label themselves
as transgender for the purpose
of getting that access
to violate the rights of others.
Is it fair to say
that because you're a priest
that you're a pedophile?
Well, of course not.
Why is it, andquot;of course not.andquot;?
Why?
Because some people
are criminals,
and some people
are not criminals.
Could you take that logic
and apply that
to the transgender community?
They're apples and oranges.
I think...
By apples and oranges,
do you mean
apples and apples?

Unfortunately, a lot of people
think like Gordon.

So how can we end
this transphobic epidemic?

Hopefully, they can understand
that we are
striving towards becoming a more
authentic version of ourselves,
after a lot of soul-searching
and a lot of thought,
and sometimes a lot of trauma
and tragedy.
Passing these bills is
absolutely going
to just add fuel to the fire
and ignite trans panic.

Trans panic, panic, panic.

WILLIAMS:
They've existed
since the beginning of time.

They are not
who people think they are.

Girl, you know
we need to elevate that leg.
WILLIAMS:

They come out at night.

-Stop! No!
-Or during the day
depending on their schedule.

You forgot your hat.
WILLIAMS:

They have an appetite.

When they're hungry.

You're really gonna love
this salad!
WILLIAMS:

This summer, get ready for...

the most boring movie ever

where transgender people
cause... transpanic!

(yelling)
Lights went out again.
WILLIAMS:
Even though they're
just like the rest of us.

What else is on Netflix?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIvCh3EQv1Q