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Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
17 reviews
thisisntfarmlife's review
4.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Incest, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
texashuneyb's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
spaghetti_noodle's review
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Drug use, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Forced institutionalization
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
5.0
I thought the blend of family biography and history of schizephrenia research (and how the two end up intersecting in the 80s onwards) was very effective. The family is large, and I appreciated the list of names (and their dates, spouses, children) and indicator at the top of each chapter on who the focus would be.
Much like the Galvins' experiences, you're in the thick of it with them and it's only at the end, years later and with the benefit of therapy and distance (physical and temporal) that you understand all the events that had to go the way they did to end up with such a unique situation. And all the ways it could've been different for everyone if the family had different resources, lived in a different time, or made different choices. Had Mimi and Don not had 12 children, or raised them differently, or if the brothers were not quite so abusive to each other and their sisters, or if the mental health care system was not the shitshow it was (and in many ways still is), etc.
Reading the book reminded me to continue unpacking my assumptions and immediate reactions -to continue navigating in that gray zone of multiple truths and causes. Almost everyone was responsible for some element of this family's experiences - and yet everyone was also a victim. Both can be true.
If I had to quibble, I would have appreciated seeing more discussion around the cost of mental health care - it's quite experience in the States and I think an overview of how state-led and private patient care differs would be helpful for us non-American readers. Same with the income disparity between the Galvins and Garys - a deeper look at how many of the choices (or lack thereof) that the Galvins had compared to their richer friends/counterparts would have been beneficial (it was only explored in the final chapter briefly).
Hidden Valley Road is a microcosm of society and biomedical/clinical research. And much like in the book, the discussion between nature and nurture continues. We know <i>so</i> much more than we did 50 years ago (in large part thanks to families like the Galvins), but we have so far to go in terms of treatment, social supports, and destigmatizing mental illnesses like schizophrenia.
Sidenote - I really appreciated that the author remained removed from the story. It's obvious in parts that he would've been present in those interviews/scenes, but he never includes himself as a character.
Highly recommend - but please check out the content warnings.
CW: sexual abuse and molestation of family members within the family (and separately by a priest), violence, domestic abuse (between siblings and between couples), murder, horrific treatment of mentally ill humans in the mental health care system (including restraints and sedation), discussions of mental health and illness (depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.), sexism
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcoholism, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Sexism
dustghosts's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Rape, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Incest, Sexual assault, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Addiction, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
citrinuke's review
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Death
nicolebliss's review
4.25
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Incest
onewoman_bookclub's review
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Dementia, and Medical trauma
mandi4886's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, and Torture
Minor: Cancer, War, Abortion, Chronic illness, Dementia, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Sexism, and Terminal illness
katielaine_w's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence