Trauma And Recovery Judith Herman Summary

In her novel, Trauma and Recovery, Judith Herman discusses the concept of Complex Trauma Disorder and its implications. Intolerant of the currently defined diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), she decides to rename it. Herman believes that the existing definition for PTSD is inaccurate, or as she asserts “does not fit accurately enough” (119). The present criteria for this diagnosis results from those who have survived “circumscribed” traumatic events, which includes rape, disaster, and combat. These are simply archetypes. Herman argues that the symptoms of survivors that endure perpetual, chronic trauma are far more intricate. This intricacy comes in the forms of characteristic personality changes in addition to relationship and identity issues. In terms of childhood abuse survivors, they too suffer from these problems, along with their susceptibility to self-harm as …show more content…
Hence, a single trauma, PTSD, would be Type I, while a “prolonged, repeated trauma,” complex trauma disorder, would be Type II. Herman goes on to say that throughout the years, many observers have in fact recognized the complex trauma disorder, but have referred to it by a different name. With that in mind, Herman declares it time for an official and widely known name for this disorder. As of now, empirical field trials are taking place in order to decide whether or not people who have been chronically traumatized can be diagnosed with this disorder unfailingly. With recognition of the disorder come new names, such as the “disorder of extreme stress not otherwise specified” by the American Psychiatric Association, and the “personality change from catastrophic experience” by the International Classification of Diseases. Although long and a bit excessive, these names give a voice to the victims who have suffered thoroughly at the hands of unremitting, repeated