Judith Lewis Herman Quotes

The body shuts down when it has too much to bear; goes its own way quietly inside, waiting for a better time, leaving you numb and half alive.

Characters who experience great trauma will sometimes create an escape.

When in doubt or danger, run in circles, scream and shout.

The thing about post-traumatic stress disorder, we know about one in five, about 20 percent of individuals that are exposed to a direct traumatic stress will develop this disorder.

I don't know if I actually am good at the sight of blood. An accident on the street gets me very, very upset.

Post traumatic stress disorder starts out with nightmares, flashbacks and actually reliving the event. And this happens over and over and over and over in your mind. If you let it go on, it can become chronic and become hard if not impossible to treat.

The shock of any trauma, I think changes your life. It's more acute in the beginning and after a little time you settle back to what you were. However it leaves an indelible mark on your psyche.

In order to endure death and horror one tends to kill ones own humanity, which is a much greater danger than not being able to bear it.

Sometimes history reads like a catalogue of post-traumatic stress.

In 'The Darkest Minds,' Zu's trauma manifests in her choosing to remain silent. It's her one small way she can feel in control of her otherwise uncontrollable situation.

My fight-or-flight mechanism... had served me well in Gaza, in Afghanistan, and all the places I'd been.

What don't kill me... Had better start running!

I don't expect you to understand after you've caused so much pain, but then again-you're not to blame; you're just human-a victim of the insane.

The portrayal of post-traumatic stress disorder and things like that felt really big and important.

I am not aware, however, that patients suffering from traumatic neurosis are much occupied in their waking lives with memories of their accident. Perhaps they are more concerned with not thinking of it.

Is it reasonable to assume that someone who has been locked in a closet for 57 days after being kidnapped and brutalized, raped, abused, then they say you're going to rob a bank?

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of trauma, I will fear no concussion.

It seemed his demon couldn't tell the physical difference between when he was in danger and when he was "in" Danger.

Looking back, I feel like I was really young, and at the time I didn't think that I was that young. It was extremely traumatic and awful and horrible. At the same time, it turned out for the best. I'm glad that I'm not there. I'm glad that it didn't happen when I was 50. I'm glad I didn't have kids. And I got that out of the way. Hopefully. Like, that's probably not going to happen again.

When it comes to how the slaves treat each other: If you've been brutalized all your life - if you have seen your children sold or your mother beaten and raped and you have been tortured yourself - you are not going to be up for your best behaviour. Even in the 21st century, 100 people in the midst of terrible suffering are not going to be their best people.

Looks like I’m going to ruin your day, Big Boy. I choose to live my crappy life a little longer. (Susan)

Survival feels like cowardice.

That is my story, simply told. Please do not ask again. I have told you in order to issue a warning. I have been damaged. Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive.

Luckily, I's learned at an early age that self-preservation was the only way to survive with your soul intact.