--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The internal system of an abuse victim…" description: "\"“The internal system of an abuse victim differs from the non-abuse system with regard to the consistent absence of the effective leadership, the extrem..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/bessel-a-van-der-kolk-21299_abuse_the-internal-system-of-an-abuse-victim-d_1646958.jpg" --- # The internal system of an abuse victim differs from the… ![“The internal system of an abuse victim differs from the non-abuse system with regard to the consistent absence of the effective leadership, the extreme rules under which the parts function, and the absenve of any consistent balance or harmony. Typically, the parts operate around outdated…” quote by Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/bessel-a-van-der-kolk-21299_abuse_the-internal-system-of-an-abuse-victim-d_1646958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/bessel-a-van-der-kolk-21299_abuse_the-internal-system-of-an-abuse-victim-d_1646958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/bessel-a-van-der-kolk-21299_abuse_the-internal-system-of-an-abuse-victim-d_1646958.jpg) > ““The internal system of an abuse victim differs from the non-abuse system with regard to the consistent absence of the effective leadership, the extreme rules under which the parts function, and the absenve of any consistent balance or harmony. Typically, the parts operate around outdated assumptions and beliefs derived from the childhood abuse, believing, for example, that it is still extremely dangerous to reveal secrets about childhood experiences which were endured.”” [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Abuse reshapes internal systems, creating rigid rules and lack of balance that persist into adulthood. **In simple terms:** Trauma changes how the mind works, keeping old, harmful patterns. Key Takeaway Recognize and re‑wire trauma‑driven beliefs. Themes trauma psychology healing identity beliefs Mood reflective empathetic Type therapeutic insightful When to use this quote - therapy - self‑reflection - support groups - educational workshops Key Concepts neurobiology attachment theory resilience Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs from your past limit you? - How can you safely explore them? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated patterns can be slow and painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse-survivors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-survivors/) [Effective leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-leadership/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Psychological trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological-trauma/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) [Trauma-recovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma-recovery/) ## Related quotes > [“Treating Abuse Today 3(4) pp. 26-33 The national discussion regarding the veridical truth of memories of childhood abuse will have a beneficial effect. Therapists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-calof/treating-abuse-today-3-4-pp-26-33-the-national-discussion-regarding/) [David L. Calof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-calof/) > [“She's terrified that all these sensations and images are coming out of her — but I think she's even more terrified to find out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-calof/she-s-terrified-that-all-these-sensations-and-images-are-coming-out/) [David L. Calof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-calof/) > [“As I see it, the point is that people who cannot estimate and respect themselves, who cannot allow themselves the free expression of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/as-i-see-it-the-point-is-that-people-who-cannot-estimate-and-respect/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“Some people, who never engaged in any research about DID, claim that there is no connection between child abuse and DID. Then they unwittingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-suraci/some-people-who-never-engaged-in-any-research-about-did-claim-that/) Patrick Suraci > [“Carla's description was typical of survivors of chronic childhood abuse. Almost always, they deny or minimize the abusive memories. They have to: it's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-calof/carla-s-description-was-typical-of-survivors-of-chronic-childhood/) [David L. Calof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-calof/) > [“When you feel caught in the web of childhood abuse, find words to describe it. Write them. Say them. Express them. In safe places,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-mcelvaney/when-you-feel-caught-in-the-web-of-childhood-abuse-find-words-to/) [Jeanne McElvaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-mcelvaney/) > [“Childhood abuse is the misuse of power and control which leads to wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/childhood-abuse-is-the-misuse-of-power-and-control-which-leads-to/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [“Honoring all ways we survived our childhood abuse is healing. We were amazing and courageous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-mcelvaney/honoring-all-ways-we-survived-our-childhood-abuse-is-healing-we-were/) [Jeanne McElvaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-mcelvaney/) > [“Available only to souls who once died inside — and came back full of truth. Not meant for those still living for appearances, approval,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoenix-moon/available-only-to-souls-who-once-died-inside-and-came-back-full-of/) Phoenix Moon > [“By voicing what I think and feel I release the pain and let my heart heal.” — Finding My Voice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swamini-b/by-voicing-what-i-think-and-feel-i-release-the-pain-and-let-my-heart/) Swamini B > [“We cannot separate forgiveness and social inequality in trauma recovery as forgiveness, trauma, and recovery always occur in a social and political context –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-ann-gregory/we-cannot-separate-forgiveness-and-social-inequality-in-trauma/) Amanda Ann Gregory > [“These days I feel empowered by the same disturbing stories that once broke my spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arelis-calkins/these-days-i-feel-empowered-by-the-same-disturbing-stories-that-once/) [Arelis Calkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arelis-calkins/) > [“My soul now soars wild and free bathed in the brilliance of simply being me.” — I Am Free”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swamini-b/my-soul-now-soars-wild-and-free-bathed-in-the-brilliance-of-simply/) Swamini B > [“The future's unfolding Swaths of possibilities Rapids of change With cliffs of discovery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-moonias/the-future-s-unfolding-swaths-of-possibilities-rapids-of-change-with/) Sandy Moonias > [“The struggle didn't leave a scar; it left a geography.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-lynn/the-struggle-didn-t-leave-a-scar-it-left-a-geography/) Brandi Lynn ## More by Bessel A. van der Kolk > [“While trauma keeps us dumbfounded, the path out of it is paved with words, carefully assembled, piece by piece, until the whole story can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/while-trauma-keeps-us-dumbfounded-the-path-out-of-it-is-paved-with/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“. I was often surprised by the dispassionate way patients’ symptoms were discussed and by how much time was spent on trying to manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/i-was-often-surprised-by-the-dispassionate-way-patients-symptoms-were/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“In April 2013, a few weeks before DSM-V was formally released, NIMH director Thomas Insel announced that his agency could no longer support DSM’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/in-april-2013-a-few-weeks-before-dsm-v-was-formally-released-nimh/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“The brain-disease model takes control over people’s fate out of their own hands and puts doctors and insurance companies in charge of fixing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/the-brain-disease-model-takes-control-over-people-s-fate-out-of-their/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“It was early in my career, and I had been seeing Mary, a shy, lonely, and physically collapsed young woman, for about three months in weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/it-was-early-in-my-career-and-i-had-been-seeing-mary-a-shy-lonely-and/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“Unlike other forms of psychological disorders, the core issue in trauma is reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/unlike-other-forms-of-psychological-disorders-the-core-issue-in/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“Beneath the surface of the protective parts of trauma survivors there exists an undamaged essence, a Self that is confident, curious, and calm, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/beneath-the-surface-of-the-protective-parts-of-trauma-survivors-there/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“trauma produces actual physiological changes, including a recalibration of the brain’s alarm system, an increase in stress hormone activity, and alterations in the system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/trauma-produces-actual-physiological-changes-including-a/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“The brain-disease model takes control over people’s fate out of their own hands and puts doctors and insurance companies in charge of fixing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/the-brain-disease-model-takes-control-over-people-s-fate-out-of-their-2/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [ “The ACE study group concluded: “Although widely understood to be harmful to health, each adaptation \[such as smoking, drinking, drugs, obesity\] is notably difficult… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/the-ace-study-group-concluded-although-widely-understood-to-be/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“Like so many survivors of childhood abuse, Marilyn exemplified the power of the life force, the will to live and to own one's life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/like-so-many-survivors-of-childhood-abuse-marilyn-exemplified-the/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/as-long-as-you-keep-secrets-and-suppress-information-you-are/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“... stress hormones are meant to give us the strength and endurance to respond to extraordinary conditions. People who actively do something to deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/stress-hormones-are-meant-to-give-us-the-strength-and-endurance-to/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself…The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/as-long-as-you-keep-secrets-and-suppress-information-you-are-2/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [“When you have a persistent sense of heartbreak and gutwrench, the physical sensations become intolerable and we will do anything to make those feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/when-you-have-a-persistent-sense-of-heartbreak-and-gutwrench-the/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) [Explore all 29 Bessel A. van der Kolk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The internal system of an abuse victim differs from the non-abuse system with regard to the consistent absence of the effective leadership, the extreme rules under which the parts function, and the absenve of any consistent balance or harmony. 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