16. " This is What Happens When You Disobey." or, Keeping the Captive in Her Place

In this episode we explore some of the faces of captivity: What are some of the psychological dynamics between captor and captive? What do these experiences look like for the “average” (?!) person being held in captivity by a psychopath? The personal experiences of captivity as seen outside of the extreme situations reported in the news and made into films, may look a lot different yet, bespeak the same psychological dynamics. We look at how the entire concept of captivity has been so commodified and sexualized, that it has occluded, hence de-emphasized the importance of scrutinizing this perverse and dangerous psychological phenomenon which has been occurring for time immemorial. I make references to John Fowles book, The Collector, which most of us had to read in 10th grade when it probably made little sense. With the decline of interest in literature, people are less able to reference psychological dynamics in books, which really are the only references that accurately develop characters and traits which describe psychological malaise. Manuals such as the DSM with its lists of symptoms and brief multiple-choice characteristics, make little sense when attempting to look at Character-Disordered people/creatures such as socio/psychopaths, or antisocial and borderline characters.

I’ve referenced some films this week which may help explore the various dimensions of captivity. The Shining (Jack Nicolson), The Experiment (Adrien Brody/Forest Whitaker), Fallen (Denzel Washington), all disturbing, somewhat sensationalized, and abstract, nevertheless, accurately portray psychological dimensions of the psychology of captivity.

I offer a number of abbreviated vignettes which were part of my own captivity, but I chose them because these traumatic and monstrous experiences are often universal to someone who has been with a psychopath either in a long- or shorter-term relationship.

How does being held captive affect the nervous system and the brain’s amygdala function? How can the psychopath maintain captivity when his or her prey is at a distance? How does the violent raging of a psychopath affect a child who is part of the union? Please listen to this episode to learn more. And visit the website for links, additional notes, and contact information, www.monsterstoriespodcast.com. Thank you for listening.

This podcast is a production of Honestly Speaking LLC. Suzann Kole, Ph.D. has worked in academe and the mental health field for over 40 years. She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Narrative Studies (an area of linguistics).