The Monster
The text begins with a case study of a Vietnam veteran named Tom. Ten years after his tour of duty ended, the sound of firecrackers going off is still enough to trigger traumatic memories. A common simile is effectively used to portray the consequences of this triggering: “When he got upset he was afraid to be around his family because he behaved like a monster with his wife and two young boys.” The self-recognition that his behavior went from the norms of humanity to something less than human becomes enough for Tom to actively seek isolation conditions every Independence Day.
“The smoke detector in the brain”
The metaphor above refers to a part of the brain called the amygdala and is further enhanced by comparing it to a watchtower located high enough to spot the smoke from a fire because it becomes an active danger. The purpose of the amygdala is to stimulate fear as a response to the potential for harm or danger.
Diagnosing
In addition to learning about the complications of the parts of the brain, readers will also learn about mental disorders. The key to these disorders is the diagnosis and the key to diagnosis is receiving a proper one that is based on symptomatic behavior actually observed by a physician. As an example of how misunderstanding regarding a diagnosis impacts patients, the author engages a literary allusion as a metaphor by writing about the many patients who have told him “that they have PTSD, as if they had been sentenced to remain in an underground dungeon for the rest of their lives, like the Count of Monte Cristo.”
