EBOOK
About
An Irish Times book of the year 2022 A powerful, probing book about PTSD. As a journalist Keane has covered conflict and brutality across the world for more than thirty years, from Rwanda, Sudan, South Africa, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine and many more. Driven by an irresistible compulsion to be where the night is darkest, he made a name for reporting with humanity and empathy from places where death and serious injury were not abstractions, and tragedy often just a moment's bad luck away. But all this time he struggled not to be overwhelmed by another story, his acute 'complex post-traumatic stress disorder', a condition arising from exposure to multiple instances of trauma experienced over a long period. This condition has caused him to suffer a number of mental breakdowns and hospitalisations. Despite this, and countless promises to do otherwise, he has gone back to the wars again and again. Why? In this powerful and intensely personal book, Keane interrogates what it is that draws him to the wars, what keeps him there and offers a reckoning of the damage done. PTSD affects people from all walks of life. Trauma can be found in many places, not just war. Keane's book speaks to the struggle of all who are trying to recover from injury, addiction and mental breakdown. It is a survivor's story drawn from lived experience, told with honesty, courage and an open heart. • BESTSELLING AND ACCLAIMED AUTHOR. Fergal received tidal waves of support when he announced he was stepping back from reporting due to PTSD. This book will reflect on his intense career reporting on conflict, and on PTSD more widely. • PTSD is widespread and underdiscussed, with this book bringing the disorder in all its manifestations to the fore. In 2014 a large population sample of England found 3.7% of men and 5.1% of women screened positive for PTSD. There are many causes from the well-known, such as combat roles in the military, to the often overlooked, such as childbirth. Statistics can be surprising. 12.6% of women aged 16-24 screened positive for PTSD.