A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain
Author: Marilee Strong
In A Bright Red Scream, Marilee Strong explodes the myths and stereotypes that have led many therapists to misdiagnose and mistreat cutters as failed suicides or masochists. Through interviews with dozens of psychiatrists, doctors, researchers, clinicians, and cutters, Strong explains how cutting can become a powerful coping mechanism for dealing with overwhelming emotional pain and gaining control over an out-of-control mind and body. She presents startling new biological research - including evidence of profound changes in brain chemistry and structure as a result of exposure to childhood trauma - that may explain why cutting is even more difficult to give up than alcohol or drug addictions or eating disorders. Finally, Strong includes information on what people with the affliction and those close to them can do to start the process of healing.
Publishers Weekly
Strong's research into "cutters" combines journalistic passion with academic integrity. Through dozens of interviews conducted for a 1993 San Francisco Focus article, she explores the reasons that lead over two million Americans to injure themselves regularly and deliberately with such items as knives, razor blades and broken glass. Although most cutters are young women who have been emotionally, sexually, or physically abused as children, Strong's research shows that this specific type of self-harm also appears in other groups. Most interviewees here claim to use cutting to distance themselves from pain and rage, or to "feel something" after years of abuse have left them emotionally numb. The powerful first-person stories, in which the cutters describe their ritualistic methods and somewhat addictive cravings for seeing their own blood, highlight the problem and ultimately lead to understanding and sympathy for those who suffer from the disorder. (A foreword from University of Missouri-Columbia psychiatrist Armondo Favazza, author of Bodies Under Siege, discusses past difficulties in bringing the disorder to the public's attention.) In addition to presenting a psychological focus, Strong also investigates possible neurological and chemical changes that both abuse and cutting can cause. A brief foray into comparison with the American tattooing trend and scarification in other cultures proves to be the book's only weak point, drawing on hypotheses rather than concrete fact. The author recovers quickly, however, when she explores the comprehensive programs and treatments available to cutters. Riveting and dynamically written, this book is an important addition to psychological literature. Agent, Sandra Dijkstra. Author tour. (Oct.)
Booknews
Offers an empathetic discussion of this complex form of self-harm, as well as its foundations in prior trauma, its association with other forms of self-injury, and where hopeful solutions to self-injury may lie. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
Kirkus Reviews
A compassionate and informed discussion of self-mutilation, the "addiction of the '90s," practiced by two million or more Americans. Self-mutilation has surfaced as a fad of pubescent girls, who use razor blades to carve their forearms with, for instance, names of their boyfriends. It's called "cutting" and is what Dr. Armando Favazza, in the preface, refers to as "superficial/moderate" self-mutilation. In other cultures or at other times, cutting, flagellation or similar forms of self- mortification have been regarded as physically healing, spiritually uplifting, or tribally bonding. Today Americans are horrified at the idea of painful blood-letting, associating it immediately with suicide. But the cutters described here are neither faddish or suicidal. They are using their razors, knives, broken glass, or cigarette lighters to live. Like anorexia and bulimia (also efforts to gain control), some forms of self-mutilation serve as controls for unbearable rage and emotional pain that would otherwise lead to a psychotic break. Many cutters have suffered sexual or physical abuse as children, and the trauma they carry with them as adults is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, says Strong. Among the symptoms is dissociation, where mind and body separate, leaving "numbness and emptiness." For some, the only way to reunite the two is by hurting themselves, the pain returns them to awareness. It may also release "natural opiates," like endorphins, that minimize the emotional and physical pain; that may be one reaction that contributes to the addictive nature of the experience. Strong (a journalist who has written previously on child victims of war trauma) examines the theories ofphysiology, psychology, sociology, and neuroscience in relation to the need to self-mutilate; enriching her research are interviews with more than 50 cutters, some found on the Internet site where self- mutilators can talk to one another. The final two chapters discuss treatment alternatives. Humane, empathetic, and informed exploration of a frightening complex of behavior; it will be valuable to professionals, families, friends, and most of all to the cutters themselves. (Author tour)
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Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing and Dying
Author: Ram Dass
More than thirty years ago, an entire generation sought a new way of life, looked for fulfillment and meaning in a way no one had before. This was the Woodstock generation, and they were led on their quest by one man, the man who was "there" before everyone else: Ram Dass. He changed the way we thought about life; he left his teaching post at Harvard to embody the role of spiritual seeker; he showed us all how to begin to find peace within ourselves, in one of the greatest spiritual classics of this century, the two-million-copy bestseller Be Here Now.
Ram Dass went on to lecture around the world, to create organizations, and to dedicate himself to serving others. A few of his readers followed him, but most went into business, had children, built houses, and set the larger questions of meaning and fulfillment aside.
Now we find we again need Ram Dass. As we enter the later stages of life, the big questions of peace and of purpose have returned, this time demanding answers, and our old friend Ram Dass has also returned to offer a helping hand. He again blazes a new trail, inviting us to join him on the next stage of the journey. This part has been particularly difficult for him: as he was finishing a draft of the manuscript, he was stopped in his tracks by a massive cerebral hemorrhage that he was not expected to survive. But survive it he did, with his humor intact and a bigger heart than ever.
In Still Here, Ram Dass helps us explore the joy, pain, and opportunities of the ripening seasons of our lives. Writing with his trademark humor and wisdom, sharing stories from his own life, and meditation exercises to integrate the teachings into daily life, Ram Dass offers us a new perspective on the territory that lies ahead. It is a perspective on aging, changing, and dying that he hopes will make the tumultuous process a little easier for all of us.
NAPRA Review
Still Here is essentially a sequel to Ram Dass' influential spiritual classic of the 1960's, Be Here Now, and its messages are familiar to those who were there then. But here he is more specific, more instructive, and more inspiring than ever: we learn that the man whose words once flowed so effortlessly now struggles with a brain that blocks and frustrates the formation of concepts into words, the legacy of a debilitating stroke.
Though it is for and about the elderly, Still here has an important message for those in middle age as well.
(July/Aug. 2000) - Napra Review
With simplicity and humor, one of the world's beloved elders offers profound wisdom on aging, encouraging us to live out our lives with grace, fully present to the end.
Library Journal
Dass, former Harvard psychologist turned spiritual guide, here shares a positive view of aging that seeks to embrace--not erase--the suffering that accompanies it. Building on years of teaching others how to grow old with wisdom and the stroke he suffered in 1997 while writing this book, he offers a perspective on disease and aging that focuses on spiritual growth and healing rather than a return to the way things were. Meditation techniques and advice on coping with pain, powerlessness, and other age-related problems are also covered. Dass's personal honesty and sense of hope make this a worthwhile purchase for public libraries that serve many baby boomers. For a more Western treatment of Dass's themes, see James Hillman's The Force of Character and the Lasting Life (LJ 8/99).--Madeleine Nash, York Coll. Lib., CUNY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
The Denver Post
This is "elder wisdom" that our society badly needs to hear, and we can be glad that Ram Dass... is still here to engage us in the joyous dance of the Soul.
Beth Amos
May 2000
The Age Sage
Often, the advent of aging and illness serves as a wake-up call for many, an alert that our bodies are declining and the inevitable is approaching. Such was the case for Ram Dass, once a spiritual adventurer and icon during the '60s and '70s and always a seeker of the secrets of the soul. His wake-up call came at the age of 65 when he experienced a debilitating stroke that left him speech-impaired and partially paralyzed. He explores this awakening process as well as the cultural taboos surrounding aging and death in his new book, Still Here: Embracing Changing, Aging, and Dying, an honest and sometimes painful exploration of our fears, our biases, and our limitations. And although the voice and persona of Ram Dass may be subtly different, his ultimate goal is still the same as it was 30 years ago: to find meaning, contentment, and joy in life -- and this time out, also in death.
This is a simpler, gentler, and more introspective Ram Dass, a man humbled by his own frailties and strengthened by his hard-earned wisdom. He admits that prior to his stroke he gave little thought to his own mortality, behaving as if he were invincible and ignoring the normal signs of aging. But after the stroke, death -- and his fear of it -- shadowed him like a bodyguard. To try to deal with this fear, Ram Dass confronted it. He spent time with others who were dying. He explored the various philosophical, spiritual, and metaphysical aspects of death. And he tried to take control of his life, to let go of his ego's fear-inducing grip and embrace an awareness and awakening of his soul instead.
Ram Dass shares the details of this very personal journey, including all the potholes and speed bumps he encountered along the way. He also shares bits and pieces of others' journeys, highlighting their successes and failures and taking a hard look at the societal and cultural influences that affect us. He begins by examining the way we cling to the objects of our youth and our past, engaging in a form of philosophical and spiritual materialism. He shows how we search for self-worth and meaning in nonspiritual arenas, such as our jobs, our possessions, and our physical appearance and condition. All too often, spirituality is ignored or minimized, limited in both scope and practice. Ram Dass's objective is to help others give their spiritual side the attention it both needs and deserves.
Part of his focus in Still Here is on reshaping the way we think, to get us more in touch with our souls rather than our egos. He believes we all have the power to age in whatever way we choose and to view it as a process of loss or of gain. But in order to achieve the latter, we must first deal with the fears and sources of suffering that are attached to aging, such as the loss of mental acuity, physical ability, energy, control, and stamina, or the specters of depression, loneliness, and powerlessness. Our body image and our roles in life are altered, sometimes drastically. And society as a whole often treats older people with disdain or, even worse, dismissal.
In coming to terms with these issues of aging, Ram Dass offers exercises, advice, and contemplation. The key, he suggests, is to not grieve over what we have lost but rather to marvel at and celebrate what we are becoming. It's not a simple process, and Ram Dass, who has arguably devoted more time to the process than most people, is still working on it himself. But progress can be made, and Ram Dass shares the ideas and meditations that have helped him achieve a greater level of awareness and contentment.
On the issue of death, Ram Dass has fewer answers and a notably humbler approach. He identifies three root questions that he believes we all have with regard to death and offers a spirited and convincing argument in support of reincarnation. He brings his Buddhist and existentialist experiences to bear, offers some great bits of wisdom, and discusses the many ways other cultures deal with death. And he suggests that, by trying to ignore death, we hide our mortality from our everyday awareness, which in turn prevents us from fully embracing life.
Ram Dass doesn't have all the answers and he doesn't claim to. What he does have is spiritual courage and curiosity, a bracing sense of honesty, and the same human fears and frailties the rest of us have. Both humor and solemn sobriety can be found in these pages, and no doubt many will find some comfort and wisdom there as well as they embark on their own spiritual journeys. More than anything, Still Here serves as a spiritual guide to all who are, or ever will be, "old."
--Beth Amos
What People Are Saying
Jon Kabat-Zinn
From the Author of Wherever You Go, There You Are and Full Catastrophe Living
Ram Dass continues to share his on-going journey with us to our great benefit, as usual. He is wiser here, more sober, more humble, and funnier than ever. There is so much to laugh about and cry about, to learn from, and to celebrate together.
Sam Keen
From the Author of Fire in the Belly
Back then, when we were young and easy, Ram Dass taught us to be fully present to our lives. Here and now we're not as young and it's not so easy and he's still teaching us how to age with courage and compassion.
Jack Kornfield
From the Author of A Path With Heart
Ram Dass has given us yet another blessing. With consummate skill and humor he guides us through the later phases of life. When you finish this book you ar ewiser, freer, more awake, more in touch with your heart. What more could you ask?
Sharon Salzberg
From the Author Lovingkindness and A Heart as Wide as the World
This book is an astonishing gift of love and clarity. Ram Dass guides us through many dimensions of aging with courage, humor, and profound wisdom.
Larry Dossey, M.D.
From the Author of Reinventing Medicine and Healing Words
Ram Dass has entered the often stormy relationship between our physical and spiritual sides, and he has lived to tell about it. This is no gussied-up, glossed-over personal account of illness, but an honest, courageous sharing that flows from the soul. Listen up, everybody, while Ram Dass tells it like it is
Rachel Remen, M.D.
From the Bestselling Author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings
There are many things one could say after reading a book as wonderful and profound as this one but they all add up to the same thing: Thank you, Ram Dass, Thanks a lot.
Gary Zukav
From the Author of The Dancing Wu Li Masters
If you are growing older - no matter what your age - I suggest you read Still Here.
Table of Contents:
| Preface | 1 |
| 1 | Slipping out of Zumbach's Coat | 9 |
| 2 | Who Are We? | 21 |
| 3 | Old Mind, New Mind | 31 |
| 4 | The Body in Question | 55 |
| 5 | Shifting Roles | 78 |
| 6 | Living in the Present Moment | 110 |
| 7 | Learning to Die | 146 |
| 8 | Stroke Yoga | 183 |
| Epilogue | 205 |
