Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family – Robert Kolker
Book Review
“They taught me to embrace the cards you are dealt or it will eat you alive. If you go to the heart of your own matter, you will find only by loving and helping do you have peace from your own trauma.”
-Robert Kolker, Hidden Valley Road
Fascinating re-telling of a large family filled with misfortune and abuse, whose proclivity to schizophrenia led to breakthroughs in research, early diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. All the boys born into this family eventually developed schizophrenia, which manifested itself in their lives and minds in different ways. The fact that only the boys developed it leads researchers to make genetic and biological discoveries about the disease thanks to the foundations already laid down by the Human Genome Project. They also theorize that some people may be genetically predisposed or susceptible to schizophrenia but it only manifests itself if they are confronted with an environment that triggers it to emerge (such as abuse, stressors, drug use, etc) some people may go their whole lives with the gene, but it’s never “awakened” to affect their lives.
Another interesting discovery is that schizophrenia may not be a disease or illness in and of itself, but one of many symptoms of an underlying problem, much like coughing or a fever is a sign of a flu. Hence why schizophrenia may show up more often in young adults who endured abuse, as one of several symptoms of trauma or ptsd. This discovery is important because schizophrenia has shown to be alleviated and better treated through certain therapies and medications that target an underlying trigger or issue, rather than the schizophrenia itself. Again, much like a flu can’t be healed by treating coughing or a fever; it can only be surmounted by attacking the cause of the virus itself.
Extremely fascinating book, though I feel absolutely heart-broken for the children of this family and what they endured. Their experiences will help future generations of people with schizophrenia, but never got the relief and treatment themselves…
HUGE trigger warning that this book discusses the abuse the children endured, especially the daughters. The children are survivors of Sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. The fact the daughters were still able to escape and find healing through therapy and other healthier means is really commendable and inspiring.