What is PTSD ?
can chess cause PTSD?
My Grandfather smoked his whole life. I was about 10 years old when my mother said to him, "If you ever want to see your grandchildren graduate, you have to stop immediately." Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake. He gave it up immediately. Three years later he died of lung cancer. It was really sad and destroyed me. My mother said to me- "Don't ever smoke. Please don't put your family through what your Grandfather put us through." I agreed. At 28, I have never touched a cigarette. I must say, I feel a very slight sense of regret for never having done it, because your post gave me cancer anyway.

My Grandfather smoked his whole life. I was about 10 years old when my mother said to him, "If you ever want to see your grandchildren graduate, you have to stop immediately." Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake. He gave it up immediately. Three years later he died of lung cancer. It was really sad and destroyed me. My mother said to me- "Don't ever smoke. Please don't put your family through what your Grandfather put us through." I agreed. At 28, I have never touched a cigarette. I must say, I feel a very slight sense of regret for never having done it, because your post gave me cancer anyway.

normally I was say NO, but for YOU? well heck. all kinds of crazy things possible.
anyways, if you could please stick to one backstory per week. this would be SO much easier to follow.

PTSD are the initials for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a stress disorder resulting from a life-threatening traumatic experience. The DSM4 lists 17 symptoms for this diagnosis that include intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks as well as some cognitive distortions and avoidance behavior etc. Can chess cause PTSD? I do not think so. Many studies have demonstrated that at a physiological level the brain structures of the limbic system are mainly responsible for this condition, nevertheless when we play chess we mainly use the brain cortex, the frontal lobe and to a lesser degree the hippocampus and other subcortical structures.

I myself fear that something like PTSD can and sometimes does occur in older people who play chess too long or too intensely. I have experienced unwanted memories, obsessive recall of chess situations with a very disturbing persistence, especially if I play deep into the night and then try to fall asleep. At this very moment, I am suffering from a particularly disturbing lost game that has persisted in my mind for two days. I have been playing chess with great pleasure for well over seventy years, but I am now thinking I may have to give it up.
As you all must know by now
, I just retired from the Navy today and want to play more chess in my retirement starting now. I never encountered any PTSD or have it myself, but I am worried that chess will give me PTSD. Can chess cause PTSD or trigger it? Thanks in advance.