Summary

“Lessons from Vietnam Veterans” begins with a pair of quotes (one from a work of fiction, one from a work of non-fiction) referring to experiences of trauma. Author van der Kolk the prologues this chapter with a description of his interactions with Tom, a veteran of the Vietnam War, one of the first veterans he worked with. Specifically, he refers to Tom’s temper, nightmares, substance abuse, and inability to connect emotionally. He (the author) describes how Tom’s symptoms and behavior were similar to how his own father (a concentration camp survivor) and grandfather (also a war veteran) behaved. He then describes prescribing medication to help Tom sleep, and how Tom refused to take it out of a belief that if he did not recall the suffering of his comrades in his dreams, he was letting them down...