Don't Try This Alone: The Silent Epidemic of Attachment Disorder

by Kathy Brous

Kathy was an overachiever—an economist, technical writer, and classical singer married 27 years to her college sweetheart. It looked like Kathy was fine. But deep within her hid a pain from infancy so severe that a cascade of adult life crises finally triggered it. And once it exploded, the pain was unbearable.

Kathy was suffering attachment disorder, a psychological condition potentially affecting almost half the US population. Caused by traumatic stress in the first three years of life, attachment disorder correlates with the nation’s 50 percent divorce rate and widespread mental health issues. Yet no one talks about its prevalence, so many sufferers go untreated, forced to live with their pain in silence—without a hint of its cause.

This was certainly true for Kathy. But when her initial forays into psychiatric help failed, Kathy decided to treat herself. It was a mistake that almost cost her life.

Told with candor and quirky, ironic humor, Don’t Try This Alone will resonate with anyone suffering attachment damage. It knows no boundaries; it strikes those who believe they had wonderful childhoods as well as the obviously abused. Yet there's hope! Kathy’s story also help and healing are out there.

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 21, 2018

Reviews

[Sue M. Pienciak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Painful

I found this book incredibly painful to read.

The reason, of course, was because I could relate to the author so deeply.

However, I have a very different ending. Therefore, I am really not sure what rating to give this book.

There are those who are simply too frozen to unfreeze. Or who did unfreeze long ago ... and then were traumatized too deeply and too badly to ever unfreeze again.

So ...

[Christen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. The deep explanations and the HOW of healing the disorder with her stories and references are amazing. Great blog too.

[Janyne McConnaughey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the lifelong effects of insecure attachment at birth. Includes important research finding and explains the long and difficult process of healing. The author shares her story with vulnerability that will help others understand their own attachment wounds and the need for effective professional therapy (not always easy to find in her case!)

[Jennifer A Euclide · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that it was a lot longer than it needed to be. It gave insite to the disorder but it dragged on and was repetitive to the point where I nearly stopped reading it.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains real experiences, so it also holds real hope. I am grateful for those who share their story. This one is backed up by a lot of science and rings true.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Read in one sitting. Amazing honest, gut wrenching account