经济学人303:创伤后精神紧张性障碍

 　　Science and technology

　　科学技术

　　Post-traumatic stress disorder²

　　创伤后精神紧张性障碍

　　Battle ready?

　　士兵，你准备好了吗？

　　It may be possible to vaccinate³ soldiers against the trauma¹ of war

　　为士兵接种抗战争创伤疫苗成为可能

　　WITH its deafening⁴ explosions, searing fires, dismembered corpses⁵ and stench of death, war pushes everyone it touches to the brink⁶.

　　爆炸声震耳欲聋，通红的火舌四处蔓延，残肢断臂尸横遍野，臭气熏天，战场上，每个人都濒临崩溃的边缘。

　　Most recover naturally.

　　一些人会慢慢恢复，

　　Some, though, suffer psychological injuries that do not heal.

　　然而有的人一辈子都在受精神创伤的折磨。

　　The names of these injuries have changed.

　　这些创伤几经更名，

　　Once they were known as shell-shock; then as battle fatigue⁷; then as combat stress reaction.

　　起初称作炮弹休克，紧接着是战斗疲劳症，而后又变为战斗应激反应。

　　Now, the preferred term is post-traumatic stress disorder.

　　如今流行的说法是创伤后精神紧张性障碍。

　　But whatever they are called, they are worryingly common.

　　令人担忧的是，尽管名称更易频繁，是指内容却大同小异。

　　About 17% of American troops returning from Iraq and 11% of those coming back from Afghanistan suffer from them.

　　从伊拉克和阿富汗回国的美国士兵中，各有17%和11%罹患此症。

　　The most common treatment is known as exposure-based therapy.

　　暴露疗法是治疗PTSD最常用的方法。

　　This asks those afflicted⁸ to imagine the sights and sounds that traumatised them, and helps them confront those memories.

　　医生会要求患者复原那些使其精神受创的画面和声音，然后再将它们从记忆中一一删除。

　　It often works. But not always.

　　虽然此法卓有成效，但却不是万灵药。

　　And it would undoubtedly⁹ be better if troops did not develop the condition in the first place.

　　毫无疑问，最重要的还是能将致病诱因消除。

　　With this in mind, a team of engineers, computer scientists and psychologists led by Skip Rizzo at the University of Southern California propose a form of psychological vaccination¹⁰.

　　鉴于此，由南加州大学斯卡普·里兹博士组织带领的，包括工程师、计算机科学家和心理学家在内的科研小队提出了注射心理疫苗的构想。

　　By presenting soldiers with the horrors of war before they set off to fight, Dr Rizzo hopes to inure¹¹ squaddies to anything they might witness on the field of battle.

　　通过向出征前的士兵展示可能发生的恐怖战争场景，里兹博士希望他们能适应真实的战地环境。

　　The idea of doing this developed from Dr Rizzo's work using virtual reality to help with exposure-based therapy.

　　里兹博士的这个想法来源于虚拟现实与暴露疗法的相互结合。

　　Such VR enables the sights, sounds, vibrations¹² and even smells of the battlefield to be recreated in the safety of a clinic, and trials suggest it can help those who do not respond to standard exposure-based therapy.

　　虚拟现实能够在安全的诊所里复原出战场的画面、声音、颤动，甚至是气味，相关试验还表明虚拟现实对未接受暴露疗法的患者同样有效。

　　The success of such simulation led Dr Rizzo to wonder if a similar regime, experienced before actual battle, might prepare troops mentally in the way that traditional training prepares them physically¹³.

　　模拟现实治疗法大获成功，使其设想类似方法能否运用在出征前的士兵身上，这样一来，除了军队提供的体能训练之外，他们的心理也做好了应对战争的准备。

　　His preliminary results suggest it might.

　　初步研结果似乎证实了博士的设想。

　　The virtual training course Dr Rizzo and his team have developed leads soldiers through a tour of duty that includes seeing and handling human remains¹⁴, experiencing the death of virtual comrades to whom they have become emotionally close, and watching helplessly as a child dies.

　　在接受虚拟训练的服役期间，里兹博士的团队将引导士兵接触并学会处理死尸的方法，士兵还将体会到虚拟情境下亲密战友的牺牲，以及对儿童面临死亡的爱莫能助。

　　Unlike a real battlefield, though, a virtual one can be frozen, and events occurring there discussed at leisure.

　　虚拟战场的独特之处在于它可以随叫随停，学员也可以在体验之余参与讨论。

　　When that happens, a virtual mentor¹⁵ emerges from the midst of the chaos¹⁶ to guide the user through stress-reduction tactics he can deploy¹⁷.

　　每当士兵情绪波动，不能自已的时候，画面上就会出现一位虚拟导师向他们传授适用的减压技巧，

　　These may be as simple as breathing deeply, or as sophisticated as objectively recognising normal reactions to stress, and thus realising that your own reactions are normal too.

　　既有深呼吸这样简便易行的方法，也有一些较为复杂的应对措施，例如让士兵认识到抗压反应的合理性，这样他们就不会再对自己的抗压反应遮遮掩掩。

　　To monitor what is going on Dr Rizzo's colleague Galen Buckwalter tracks physiological¹⁸ markers of stress, such as the reactions of participants' pupils to what their eyes are seeing, their electrocardiograms and their galvanic skin responses.

　　里兹的同事伽林·布克沃特博士负责对士兵压力状态下的生理指标进行跟踪监测。其中包括受试者观看图像时的瞳孔反应，心电图特征以及体表电流状况。

　　Dr Buckwalter hopes that as his charges become more psychologically prepared for battle, these markers will change in recognisable ways.

　　布克沃特博士希望出征士兵的各项指标能随着日益强健的心理承受力而变得更加易于辨识。

　　This will allow officers to identify who is, and is not, ready for combat.

　　这样，军官们就可以对每个士兵的备战情况了然于胸。

　　That would be an obvious boon¹⁹.

　　心理疫苗的好处显而易见，

　　But it could also create problems, for it is a long-standing belief of most armed forces that, with proper training, anyone can become a warrior²⁰.

　　但问题也随之产生，因为长久以来，很多军队都坚信只要训练得当，每个人都可以成为合格的士兵。

　　Dr Buckwalter's work would undermine this philosophy if it showed that no amount of training was ever going to change some people's markers.

　　如果布克沃特博士的实验能够证明训练与指标并无直接联系，这样的也就随之不攻自破了。

　　If that were the case, should such soldiers then be excused active duty?

　　如果事实果真如此，是不是有些士兵就不能继续服役了？

　　As things stand, those with physical limitations who apply to serve in America are still recruited, but are given only work that they are physically capable of doing.

　　现实的情况是，美国军队对那些身体有缺陷的现役士兵依旧敞开大门，但只让他们做一些力所能及的事情。

　　Should applicants²¹ with psychological limitations be treated similarly?

　　对心理有障碍的士兵是否应该采取类似的措施呢？

　　Perhaps they should.

　　答案或许是肯定的。

　　For if it does prove possible to sort those who are likely to become inured²² to war's horrors from those who will not, one result would be a more effective fighting force.

　　如果挑选的士兵更能适应恐惧的战争，不仅能大大提高部队的战斗力，

　　A second would be the consequential²³ elimination²⁴ of one of those horrors—the psychological wounds that are often regarded by soldiers who suffer them as worse than physical ones.

　　还能降低心理遭受心理创伤的概率，因为在受过创伤的士兵眼里，心灵的折磨远远超过身体上的苦痛。

　　1.suffer from 折磨；因…而受罚

　　A smaller number suffer from other sleep-disordered breathing.

　　患有其它睡眠呼吸紊乱的比例更小。

　　All three panelists suffer from mental illnesses themselves.

　　这三个小组成员本身就患有精神疾病。

　　2.set off 开始；引起

　　The President's envoy²⁵ set off on another diplomatic trip...

　　总统的使节开始了又一次外交之旅。

　　I set off, full of optimism.

　　我无比乐观地出发了。

　　3.hope to 希望

　　Democrats²⁶ hope to finish the draft in a week.

　　民主党人士希望在一周内完成该草案。

　　I really hope to find my prince charming soon.

　　我真希望能早点找到我的白马王子。

　　4.respond to 顺从， 服从；响应

　　A spokesman didn't respond to requests for comment.

　　该公司一位发言人没有回应记者的置评请求。

　　Government officials did not respond to requests for comment.

　　缅甸政府官员没有回应记者的置评要求。

1 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

4 deafening   

adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The noise of the siren was deafening her. 汽笛声震得她耳朵都快聋了。
• The noise of the machine was deafening. 机器的轰鸣声震耳欲聋。

5 corpses   

n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

6 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

7 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

8 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

9 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

10 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

11 inure   

v.使惯于

参考例句：

• We should inure ourselves to hard life.我们应该使自己习惯艰苦生活。
• One cannot inure oneself altogether to such malicious criticism.谁也不能总是忍受这种恶意批评。

12 vibrations   

n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动

参考例句：

• We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。
• I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

14 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

15 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

16 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

17 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

18 physiological   

adj.生理学的，生理学上的

参考例句：

• He bought a physiological book.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
• Every individual has a physiological requirement for each nutrient.每个人对每种营养成分都有一种生理上的需要。

19 boon   

n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠

参考例句：

• A car is a real boon when you live in the country.在郊外居住，有辆汽车确实极为方便。
• These machines have proved a real boon to disabled people.事实证明这些机器让残疾人受益匪浅。

20 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

21 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

22 inured   

adj.坚强的，习惯的

参考例句：

• The prisoners quickly became inured to the harsh conditions.囚犯们很快就适应了苛刻的条件。
• He has inured himself to accept misfortune.他锻练了自己，使自己能承受不幸。

23 consequential   

adj.作为结果的，间接的；重要的

参考例句：

• She was injured and suffered a consequential loss of earnings.她受了伤因而收入受损。
• This new transformation is at least as consequential as that one was.这一新的转变至少和那次一样重要。

24 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

25 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

26 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》