PAWD

Posttraumatic Art World Disorder (PAWD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed the art world. PAWD has been known by many names in the past, such as “fried” during the years of Pop Art and “burned out” after the 1980s East Village scene, but PAWD does not just happen to artists and gallery staff. PAWD affects approximately 3.5 percent of adults who follow the art world every year, and an estimated one in 11 art world people will be diagnosed with PAWD in their lifetime. People with PAWD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after their time in the art world has ended. They may relive the art world through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from sculpture and painting. People with PAWD may avoid art magazines or gallery events that remind them of their experience, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as an email announcement or an Instagram post.