Trauma and the anti-toxic script

This chapter begins with a definition of trauma and the anti-toxic script. That is followed by a brief discussion of the distinction between the defensive results of trauma that occurs in childhood versus the aftermath of adult-onset trauma. I will then describe the formation of an anti-toxic script in childhood based on the data from the Denver–Boston longitudinal study, and trace the ongoing development of this script through the life course of this individual into his mid-thirties. I chose this case because the adult outcome contained many surprises that were difficult to understand. The psychic organization of this person was then clarified by a deeper understanding of Tomkins’ scripting process.