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A review by rini
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
This book was a LOT!!!
I initially started reading the dead tree version a couple of years ago, but was so put off by something described near the start that I just couldn't continue.
CW for war, murder, sexual violence
(The incident in question was about a Vietnam vet with PTSD who recounted that after his best friend was killed in combat, he went on a "revenge" rampage at a local village, murdering children, farmers, and raping a woman. All that detail was utterly unnecessary and, as a survivor of rape, hugely triggering and OMFG I don't give a fuck about this dude's PTSD.)
I'm glad that autistics only came up once in passing tbh (though the link between being autistic and being traumatised is well documented, this author would NOT have handled it well!!). It was bad enough hearing so much (ableist/cringey stuff) about ADHD!
Overall, I think it was a worthwhile read, and gave me more insight on trauma, but yikes it was a LOT!!
The author wasn't wrong when he called himself a trauma voyeur (or maybe he said someone else called him that and he had to agree.)
I initially started reading the dead tree version a couple of years ago, but was so put off by something described near the start that I just couldn't continue.
CW for war, murder, sexual violence
I'm glad that autistics only came up once in passing tbh (though the link between being autistic and being traumatised is well documented, this author would NOT have handled it well!!). It was bad enough hearing so much (ableist/cringey stuff) about ADHD!
Overall, I think it was a worthwhile read, and gave me more insight on trauma, but yikes it was a LOT!!
The author wasn't wrong when he called himself a trauma voyeur (or maybe he said someone else called him that and he had to agree.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, and War
Moderate: Bullying, Abortion, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, Vomit, and Dementia