Consumer 14

DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT’S COVER, WORDS, MOODS…

Revisado: 11-20-23

This is, in my estimation, a fantastic book. At first, I thought it was the best book I’ve read/heard yet on depression, despondence, personal descriptions of a history failed suicide attempts and being run through the neuro-pharmacological mill. I never would have guessed any of that from reading the book title. From that, I was expecting whiny, pedantic, passive-aggressive self-care drone, but this book is exactly the opposite:: No bs., real-deal, genuine, relevant with no wasted words SOLID CONTENT. I think maybe the author is engaging in a bit of “tongue in cheek, humor-as-therapy for traumatic events” methodology in their writing and I’ve found it useful to keep that possibility in mind as I listen. The book is easy to listen to, the narration is great. Certainly nothing clinical, cold or efforted.

Big Caveat #1: the author’s summation of Ketamine and psychedelic therapy. They had one single experience with ketamine, kicking and screaming just to placate a doctor at Yale’s department of treatment-resistant depression. The rest of what they’re reciting reads like it was pulled from Newsweek Magazine. This is the weakest part of the book for me Treatment with Pyschecelics cannot be evaluated like Adderal is. The effectiveness of this method is evaluated over months combined with forms of therapy that are often artistic. The author has no experience, has apparently done no deep research, yet they state predetermined snarky opinion as though it’s fact. Boo. The cover is now appropriate.

By the middle of Part 2 and into Part 3, the author’s pedestrian sense of exploration becomes concrete statements of absolute fact about things they’re (in truth) only guessing at, From hard science science to perspective on additional examples and alternative methods comes to prevail. Their humor is replaced by cynical and snarling opinion which is stated as absolute fact. This shift in tone happens so quickly that it’s stunning. Suddenly, and 180 degrees opposite of the first part of the book, life sucks and a victimized voice is telling us so. While this triggers every bit of critical thinking, corrective fact-checking bone in my body, the bipolar shift is a actually illuminating, and for me it makes the book more interesting, The Big Snarky exhausting shift may reveal cognitive and emotional components that serve as a foundation for the most severe and devastating forms of depression that is humorously described, in detail, in the first half of the book.

Part 3 continues to descend into interpretative, opinionated, sideways story telling based real patient cases, read from notes, The author has had it up to *here* with people. And don’t get her started on men (“dudes”), or women she deems to be feminist. Or succesful people. Or married couples. My God! The author, an office worker, now believes they’re an authority on psychology, the human condition, and medicine. And what? Looking down upon those who’ve succeeded in suicide? A pile of summarized terribly depressing tales? Now I’m depressed. This is weird and I have reduced interest and attention. It’s not that I don’t care about people’s difficulties, it’s that I don’t like the author creating condensed version that can be used to hammer the reader with over and over. Listening to cynical, talkative, overly opinionated ppl is bad for my emotional well being. In fact, I’m now taking a break or bailing out from listening to this book. It begins as a revealed memoir and ends as a non-stop rant.

What a fascinating study this book is. For some, the first half of the book is truly great, and possibly worth the price by itself. For others the entire book may a valuable mind study of someone who describes the severe and long term nature of their existential crisis, uses casual humor to as a mask, and then tires of the mask and exhibits sense of security that’s derived from cynical narrow thinking, way too much opinion, and lots of anger at everything in the world. . Wow. Now, the book title and cover art are even more off track. The person present by the last part of the book is absolutely not vulnerable and does not ask questions, let alone for help.

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Highly effective research and guidance book

Revisado: 11-06-23

Out of the many books I have on elements of PTSD, none are like this one. “Complex PTSD” as an audio book is a hybrid work that at once a source of education, consultation and guided meditation, without ever getting close to weird gooey guru tone that one might associate with recorded guided meditations. The choice of narrator perfectly matches the intention of the writing, and I would guess that his style delivery mirrors direction from the author (this is a good thing). More than a book I listen through once and then move on, “Complex PTSD” is a reference work. By using the “bookmarks and clips” function that’s part of the Audible App, I’m able come back to sections of the book again and again as I continue on my own journey out of emotional difficulty. Bravo! Great Book.

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Great Narrator. His impersonations are understated and essential.

Revisado: 11-03-23

I can’t imagine this book without the narrator giving the listener an idea of which voice and character Robin used at given junctures in the story. It would be so easy for him to have overstepped that function, but he kept it at a reference point, leaving space for the listener to fill in the voice and character for themself. Given the author’s peripheral yet important position in Robin’s life, I think the book he wrote is top notch.

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Pointless

Revisado: 11-01-23

This is the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to that appears to have been created for no purpose whatsoever.

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REAL

Revisado: 08-28-23

This is a beautiful production. I just finished listening, and I’m changed. It’s kind of a memoir, I guess, except to to call it that feels like selling it short. It’s bigger than that, so the word I’ll chose to designate the category, content, performance, production and generosity of spirit from all concerned is: REAL. Unparalleled, from the heart of everyone involved, and so apparent that no internal review is necessary. I’ve never read/heard anything even remotely like this work before.

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THIS!!!

Revisado: 12-17-22

Beyond the considerable nuance of systemic detail which is explained in this book, the high level educational nature of the author’s insights, much of which I believe points out the sheer contradictory protocol which medical professionals must (or choose to) abide by, but which serve only to accomplish the opposite result of it’s implied intention, this Review is a tome of intellectual and emotional intelligence on a subject which is common to all, the likes of which I could not have imagined before hearing this recording. Brilliance! Thank you Sallie!

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You’ll never do better than this

Revisado: 12-16-22

Richard Alpert aka Ram Dass, truly used his time on earth well, and for the benefit of others. Personally I’ve been struggling with the loss of one whom we are never supposed to see go before we do, for a long time now. I’m no stranger to Dass. Yet one 30” fragment of chapter 5 knocked me and my suffering on my a**, and my perspective is significantly changed. Every word of this is helpful. Peace.

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If Joe Mercola participates in creating a published study…

Revisado: 12-09-22

I recommend listening. You may not agree, and it’s important to feel no pressure to agree. What matters is being motivated to think, speak up, praise the work or disparage it. It’s all good, and in that regard, we’re all lucky to have Mercola here with us to spark that fire. A brilliant doctor and researcher who’s willing to put it out there and be right, or wrong, or any combination. He’ll take the heat without getting defensive, or the or praise without clinging to it as an identity. Personally, I felt degrees of all of this when listening, and greater “permission to just cal, it as I hear it. But I’m also better for it, my critical thinking skills are pushed into better shape, and overall I think we all need more of this since March 2020 when the social pressure to “put up, shut up you ain’t got no rights” took hold.

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THIS BOOK!

Revisado: 12-07-22

Is THE BEST book that I’ve ever heard/read on neuropsychology, that which leads to the most extreme manifestation in those who suffer under Cluster-B disorders, the human condition and workings of the human mind. I’ve have 20-25 titles that are meant to address these subjects. Most are ok but forgettable, some are terrible, a few are very good. But nothing touches Night Falls Fast or the insightful writings of Kay Redfield Jamison. I’ve listened to this book twice and I’ll listen many times, because every paragraph and chapter is full of meaningful detail, a lot of which I hadn’t fully put into context on a previous listen. I do Understand Suicide much more than ever, but I would not say that Night Falls Fast is only about Suicide.

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

“Recovery from?” I’m not convinced.

Revisado: 11-19-22

You’d be hard pressed to writings by experts on psychology and the human mind who would speak of “recovery” from a major life-changing or life-defining condition, whether it be borderline pd or ptsd. These conditions are never recovered from, but hopefully the afflicted and affected learn to manage symptoms, responses and expectations. That is a deeply reflective and long, painful process of changing one’s self, which can be heard in their tone of voice and careful choice of words, If they have truly done the work.

Listening to self-titled tome, I’m left with the distinct impression that the author has taken their disorder, packaged it up for sale, and learned to wield it for their own gain at a vulnerable audience. The word “Recovery” being used in a shrewdly calculated way so as to condition the reader, draw attention, and enhance sales. In other words, “clickbait”. My intimidation triggers are primed when listening to the the content and delivery of this narrative. I’m not convinced, I regret having investing a credit in this set of books my someone, who talks about about themselves. And I have that feeling of been “had.”

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