Passions of the Mind
Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2011
by Iris Taub
There have been so many books that I have found stimulating but I have to admit the one that sticks out the most is Passions of the Mind, which is the life of Sigmund Freud.
I guess at the time, his work was considered controversial because of the content of some of his thoughts but if he had written this book now, it would not have caused any eye brow raising at all!
I read this book while I was still in High School and it helped me understand how the mind is so powerful that it can literally affect the way a person lives their life.
Being a child raised by an unstable and undiagnosed parent of bio polar disease, as an adult I now understand why my Mother displayed signs of bizarre behavior and she wasn't diagnosed and treated with medication until she was well into her eighties when I was forced to look into alternative living arrangements when she could no longer live alone.
There are many forms of child abuse and although I was never physically abused the mental abuse that I had to endure over the course of forty years had taken its toll on me physically and even though my Mother eventually was treated, our relationship was strained and I never had a close bond with her. I was the "good daughter" who out of obligation made sure that she was comfortable and taken care of and until the day she died at the ripe old age of 96, she never had to worry about anything.
I finally was "free" from guilt and abuse on February 12, 2005 when she took her last breath in the comfort of her own room with the help of Hospice after suffering a major stroke three weeks before. The Assisted Living facility where she lived prior to her stroke was a wonderful facility that allowed me the peace of mind of knowing that her medical needs were provided so all I had to do was to meet her emotional needs.
The day I buried her, I made a promise to myself that I would never allow anyone toxic to be a part of my life and that I would finally take control of my own life and heal within.
With the help of my loving husband of thirty eight years, my children and grandchildren, I now embrace the love that comes naturally and not strained or forced out of obligation.
Iris S. Taub
Parkland, Florida
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Good sentiments in your article Iris, thanks for sharing.Thank you!
good choice- significant sentimentsThank you!
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