Though Supernatural Psychology: Roads less traveled devotes a couple of chapters on trauma and PTSD, they cover but a slim slice of that big pie. The book was published in 2017 and its authors deal with events up to season 12. Now there are 3 more seasons and the Winchesters' lives are over. We see the complete picture. E.g., a discussion of the Cooper Color Code for situational awareness in various stages of the brothers' lives would be interesting: While Dean's condition never went back to yellow (aware but relaxed), let alone white (unaware of threat) after his mother's death, Sam returned to yellow during his time at Stanford, and probably also later in life, when he stopped hunting and started a family after Dean's death. Mostly, their condition is orange (focus is on threat), often red (complete focus on threat), and both experience black (confusion, denial).
I found the following chart on the internet and find it very interesting:

Sam losing his soul and Dean turning into a demon are two prominent examples of black, or of trauma and resulting PTSD. After Sam gets his tortured soul back, he is by no means healed, but dissociates and goes through a stint of multiple personality disorder at the end of season 6. Dean faces the same problem in season 10. Getting rid of his demon eyes does not bring him peace, but guilt for what he did as a demon. He is haunted by memories and knows his soul will forever have black spots. Both have to fight against external suggestions in their vulnerable states. Death says Sam will not survive if the wall closing off his trauma comes down, and the King of Hell tells Dean life as a demon is more attractive than the alternative.
Here is the trauma and fantasy model of dissociation by Dalenberg et al., which could be used to analyze the Winchesters.

Apart from my personal obsession, Supernatural deserves attention because it is the longest running fantasy series ever (15 seasons, 327 episodes). It beat the X-Files (11 seasons, 218 episodes) by far and is only topped by crime or hospital shows (e.g. CSI, Grey's Anatomy) and animated series (The Simpsons, American Dad). I guess those formats are considered more 'real', because they deal with 'everyday' problems in 'normal' people's lives, whereas the Winchester brothers fight monsters. [They still do on DVD, streaming services and countless TV reruns, so I'll stick to the present tense.] Never mind that the monsters are just manifestations of our subconscious, our inner demons – and perfect punching bags. It may be socially acceptable to feel happy when a vampire gets his head chopped off, but don't do it to your boss, even if he is the one sucking out your life force.

The Winchesters allow us to live by proxy and feel good about ourselves. So what if we are damaged, unable to get rich or maintain a stable relationship? Look at the fucked-up lives of our heroes! Supernatural came into existence thanks to the childhood trauma writer Eric Kripke imposed upon his two main characters. The violent loss of their mother put Sam and Dean on the road to glory, avoiding the apocalypse, thwarting the devil's plans and pushing God Almighty off his throne. This illustrates W. H. Auden's take on trauma as not mere catastrophe, but possibility to grow:

'the so-called traumatic experience is not an accident, but the opportunity for which the child has been patiently waiting [...] in order to find a necessity and direction for its existence, in order that its life may become a serious matter.'
After 15 years I have the chance to deal with the big empty the show left behind and find a way to spend my time with something else than escapism. Therapists know to only take away a patient's illusion when he is ready, or to replace it with another crutch. Has anyone checked with the audience? According to Lyn Zubernis' books, people involved in the show have overcome loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Apparently, it has had therapeutic effects on a variety of conditions. What the Winchesters suffer from must be called Complex PTSD. They have been traumatized in series. Now their serial trauma has come to an end. Good for them. Fans like I may experience the loss of a support system, a reliable source of gratification, something to look forward to. Yet all that pales in comparison to the ordeal the Winchesters went through. Hence, wanting them back is very egoistic. Rest in peace is be the healthy thing to say.

… right now is the loss of my favorite series. When the news got out that the 15th season would be the last one, I felt a pang in my chest. I skipped the first stages of grief. After all, what's the point of denial or bargaining? And how could I be angry when I am honestly grateful for 15 years of wonderful stories? Unfortunately, I could not escape the depression. As it wasn't my first episode, I quickly accepted the impending death of my heroes and looked for coping mechanisms.

Moving on and finding a replacement might work for some people, but I needed to fill the already spreading emptiness with more of what I lost. I had read articles and books on Supernatural and enjoyed them ( Supernatural and Philosophy, In the Hunt, Family don't end in blood and more). So I went deeper and turned to academia. Found some interesting stuff, even dissertations. Unfortunately, not much on loss and trauma, which is weird. Supernatural is full of it.

Yes, I know how the Winchesters deal – they kill all the monsters. Never an option for me, or I'd be in prison, and in this case, there are no monsters. In therapy I learned to deal by taking a step back and regarding myself and my problems from a sober, scientific perspective. It works, at least for me. I didn't just want to be analyzed, but take an active part in it and find out what was going on in my head. So I read up on psychology and brain chemistry. What I was looking for in my research on Supernatural was an in-depth analysis of their trauma/ta, (complex)PTSD, dissociation and the like. No luck. The best I found was in Supernatural Psychology: Roads less traveled. A great starting point, but not satisfactory. Doesn't anyone want to write a PhD on 'Supernatural trauma' ?!

If you find it as unbelievable as I do that this title or book doesn't already exist, here' s proof:

This is the 3rdtime I'm starting a blog. Let's hope 3 time's the charm.
I have never kept a diary. My first blog was a diary of sorts, detailing my 'grand tour' through Canada. The second one might have been called 'a writer's humble beginnings', including announcements for readings, newspaper articles, short stories and teasers. Not sure what this one deserves for a title. Maybe 'If I don't write to empty my head, I go crazy' (Lord Byron).


The aim is to empty my head at least once a week. Seems like good psychological hygiene. Also, forming (positive) habits and sticking to a routine creates stability. Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise and I tend to be lazy. I stopped writing letters a long time ago and my emails are mostly business and to the point, but the craziness needs an outlet.