A book review of I’m Supposed to Make a Difference: a Memoir About Overcoming Trauma and Abuse by Kevin Vought
Stars: ***
Kevin Vought (2021)
Memoir/Abuse
172 pages
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: Very few people know about the childhood trauma Kevin endured long ago in western New York. At first glance, he appears as an average engineer – with a loving wife, two amazing children, and a stable job. As Kevin digs deep into his memories, lingering doubts plague him as to whether a young girl he once knew survived the horrors – or fell to a tragic fate. Fighting a grueling battle for decades against his long-buried memories, Kevin unravels mysteries and patterns to overcome the depression, anxiety, and suicidal inclinations that those same memories caused. Today, he’s largely conquered his demons – and shares with you the strategies he used to heal and transform. Kevin’s doctor describes this deeply-honest account of his trauma, mental health treatment, and redemption as “a story about transformation and hope.”
I’m Supposed to Make a Difference
This is the story of how the author, Kevin Vought, overcame his childhood trauma and abuse and made sure his children’s lives were nothing like his own. I think he does a good job of showing what he’s overcome without making those who struggle more with their trauma look bad or weak. He never makes anyone feel bad for struggling more.
The book is mostly memoir with a little bit of advice in the last few chapters. This is probably obvious but the book is a big TRIGGER WARNING for abuse of all kinds and suicidal discussions.
Only one thing bothered me. He talks about briefly harming himself and then says when he gets to college he outgrew self harm. That bothered me because many adults self harm. By saying outgrew, he makes it sound like those who still do are childish. I’m sure that’s not what he meant though. Maybe the author doesn’t realize adults do it too. Society does tend to focus on teens and self harm.
The book is written for other survivors of trauma and abuse. You can certainly read it if you didn’t suffer abuse but that’s who it’s aimed at.
Find I’m Supposed to Make a Difference at Goodreads.