Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

11 reviews

jussery's review against another edition

challenging informative medium-paced

4.0

This book was really useful to me in how it summarized a lot of research findings in an interesting and succinct way (not to say this book wasn't long, it definitely was). Halfway into this book I found out that the author is not really a great guy, which definetely soured anything I read from his perspective. I found some of his descriptions of women kinda gross. I thought he went too far describing some patient's trauma. This book has so many triggers and I read it as someone without PTSD (I have a depersonalization disorder though, and was hoping to uncover more about that through this book) - so a big warning to anyone considering reading it! Overall though, I still gave this book 4 stars just because I think it really captured a lot of research studies on trauma in a digestible way (could do without the authors excessive descriptions though). And it really helped me contextualize some of my symptoms and how they are biologically based, which helped me put less blame on myself for them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, War, Chronic illness, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Sexism, Alcoholism, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Murder, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, Domestic abuse, and Medical trauma

lj_sophia's review against another edition

I didn't enjoy how filled up this book is with the author's inflated ego. He also picks and chooses who to provide sympathy to and it's usually the men he treated. It comes off as unfeeling and sometimes predatory. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, War, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Medical content, Kidnapping, Incest, Addiction, and Alcoholism

emsemaroo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and War

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Body shaming, Car accident, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Stalking, Trafficking, Vomit, Gore, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Genocide, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, and Kidnapping

revived_reading's review

emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

As a psychology major, this books is a wonderful read. It’s chock full of information on trauma, from the neuroscience and history of trauma research to just a few of the many treatments of trauma. Dr. van der Kolk dedicated his career to trauma research and really put care into writing this book to share this information that, unless you were to read academic journals, is not readily available to the general public or trauma victims. 

After taking the months to read this book (seeing as the content is very heavy and there is a lot of material), I learned so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Car accident, Child abuse, Incest, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Abandonment, Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, War, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcoholism

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

This has very triggering content, seeing as this book discusses trauma. To put the research of this book into perspective, Dr. van der Kolk tells the stories of some of his patients. None of which is pretty, but it has its impact and use within the book.

tmickey's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Gun violence, Incest, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Kidnapping, Car accident, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, War, Sexual harassment, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, and Eating disorder

oytser's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.5

Great book for those interested in the psychology and treatment of trauma. I personally found it incredibly useful in navigating my own recovery from a traumatic experience in my life.
Can occasionally be triggering, has a lot of unwarned mentions of sexual abuse, neglect, traumatic events, etc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Confinement, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and War

Moderate: Eating disorder, Grief, Incest, and Kidnapping

tetedump's review

hopeful informative sad slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, and Xenophobia

alex3099's review against another edition

emotional informative slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Car accident, Drug abuse, Grief, Incest, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

maarsargo's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

4.0

TW: rape, incest, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, violence, drug use

WHAT I LIKED:

• Ch. 10 (Developmental Trauma) was fascinating to read. Trauma during childhood can have far-reaching effects that aren’t seen as much in adult trauma, such as brain development and immune response.

• Part 5 (Paths to Recovery) provided a number of strategies and methods to help survivors cope and heal. This section was particularly helpful and insightful.

• "The problem is the solution." This idea sparked a known but hidden revelation inside of me. Many of the problems people have (eating disorders, substance use, etc.) are solutions to the greater problems they're facing underneath. The visible issues are only the tip of the iceberg; they’re mechanisms for survival in a different context. I can say without a doubt this will influence how I treat/manage patients in the future.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

• For anyone with unresolved trauma, this book is incredibly triggering. Some stories include graphic details or horrifying glimpses into lived experiences that may cause survivors to relive their own trauma.

• In some cases, van der Kolk uses a disturbing matter-of-fact tone when describing the abuse his patients' endured. His words felt light, untroubled. It was difficult for me to stomach how someone could be so passive and nonchalant about the intimate details of unthinkable abuse.

• In many instances, the author refers to his patients as "organisms", which served to rob them of parts of their humanity. Patients are not organisms: they're people, humans, souls.

• Dr. van der Kolk has a history of creating hostile work environments for women and has been let go from one of his positions. This is a friendly remind to keep bias in mind when evaluating research and treatments, especially between genders.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Incest, Self harm, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse

helhas3letters's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring slow-paced

3.5

Very informative work on how trauma is held long-term in the body and brain, with a specific focus on PTSD (incurred either in childhood or adulthood).
The first few chapters detail cause-and-effect with lots of evidence from scientific studies, inclusion of brain scans and diagrams, reference to the author's personal experience working for many years in the field of psychiatry, and fascinating case studies of patients at trauma centres. Concludes with a hopeful and substantial chapter on various empirically proven methods of healing from trauma.
Can be heavy at times as it deals with some very serious issues, but overall an inspiring, enlightening, research-based read. Knocked off 1/2 a star as I thought it was a little repetitive at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, and Child abuse

Moderate: Incest, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Self harm, Violence, and Rape

Minor: Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, and Violence

As this book deals with trauma, there is lots of mention of disturbing and scarring events, however I felt that Van Der Kolk does not go into more detail than is necessary. Most things that can be considered triggers - e.g. death, trafficking, war, domestic abuse - are only mentioned or briefly described to give context to what follows. The author goes into a moderate amount of detail on some instances of child abuse, sexual assault, incest, and self-harm. Mental illness, especially PTSD, is discussed in detail throughout.