Trauma and PTSD
Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Linda Graham, MFT
A long but excellent review of Bessel van der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, one of the best books ever written about the subject. Ms. Graham comments are valuable and she goes beyond just a book review, adding her own reflections.
How Does Trauma Affect the Brain, Especially as We Age?
One of the popular myths going around is kind of like what Brock Turner’s father meant when he didn’t want his son to be punished for “twenty minutes of action.”1https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/06/father-stanford-university-student-brock-turner-sexual-assault-statement What many don’t understand is that the effects of rape trauma and PTSD can last a lifetime. A woman in her 80s may still be dealing with a trauma that happened 60 years ago. This is why everyone must understand tonic immobility. Many boys in the altered state that alcohol brings on mistake the state of tonic immobility for acquiescence. I am hopeful that once this is understood, it will change the way boys approach sex. We must stop considering only the future of the boy [His life will be ruined.] and start considering the fate of both the perpetrator and the victim.
Women and PTSD: The Public Health Problem Nobody Talks About
By Allison Young, October 16th, 2018
The author speaks out about the danger of associating PTSD only with war. PTSD is 13 times higher among civilian populations than military ones and the civilians are overwhelmingly female. Victims of sexual assault or domestic abuse, they often choose to suffer in silence. They tend not to seek medical help. The #MeToo movement has been a beacon of hope. As more women come forward and tell their stories, it gives strength to those who have been suffering in silence.