The Complexity Of Trauma In Sam And Tommy's Life

The complexity of the trauma which exist in Sam and Tommy’s life play into the effect which the trauma had on each of these brothers. For Tommy, the presence of a possible childhood trauma, complex captivity trauma in prison, and trauma from learning how his brother supposedly died created a set of symptoms which can best described as: 309.24 (F43.22) Adjustment Disorder with anxiety. After release from prison, Tommy appears nervous and displays explosive anger by banging his fist against the table in response to his father’s underhanded comments. After Sam’s supposed death, Tommy begins to display signs of insomnia while drinking alcohol which limits his ability to meet occupational demands. The combination of these factors which appear, in

Sam was exposed to a series of complex, intertwining, subjugating, and demoralizing traumas which impacted his ability to connect with others. Herman (1997) states that perpetrators of complex trauma seek to destroy the victim’s autonomy. Upon turning home, Sam is observed staying up at night, keeping his gun nearby, and meticulously rearranging dishes in his kitchen cabinet to attempt to assert control on his life. Similarly, Sam shows a need for control during a dinner scene where he repeatedly instructs his daughter to behave which ends in an explosive anger

For Tommy, whose father and brother were military members, public stigma towards him upon release from prison may have affected his ability to heal. The primary evidence in the movie indicates that Tommy’s incarceration seemed to have a negative effect on his father, who appeared to judge his son for being incarcerated. Per Moore, Stuewig, and Tangney (2013) jail inmates who perceived that they would be stigmatized upon release from jail showed lower post-release functioning than jail inmates who did not perceive stigmatization from the community. The presence of stigmatization from his father may have increased Tommy’s perception of stigmatization from the community which could have negatively impacted his ability to