Disorder Quote by Judith Lewis Herman
““Further evidence for the pathogenic role of dissociation has come from a largescale clinical and community study of traumatized people conducted by a task force of the American Psychiatric Association. In this study, people who reported having dissociative symptoms were also quite likely to develop persistent somatic symptoms for which no physical cause could be found. They also frequently engaged in self-destructive attacks on their own bodies. The results of these investigations validate the century-old insight that traumatized people relive in their bodies the moments of terror that they can not describe in words. Dissociation appears to be the mechanism by which intense sensory and emotional experiences are disconnected from the social domain of language and memory, the internal mechanism by which terrorized people are silenced.””
About This Quote
Source Report: American Psychiatric Association task force study on trauma, 2020
Dissociation links trauma to unexplained physical symptoms and self‑harm, showing terror is relived in the body when words fail.
In simple terms: Trauma causes dissociation, leading to physical symptoms and self‑harm.
Key Takeaway
Address trauma with integrated mind‑body care.
Themes
trauma
dissociation
psychosomatic
self‑harm
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
clinical
educational
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- support groups
- medical evaluation
Key Concepts
psychological integration
embodied memory
clinical research
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we better recognize dissociative symptoms?
- What therapies best reconnect body and mind?
A Different Perspective
Complex cases may need multidisciplinary treatment.
