I was abused as a child – and thought I had healed. Then I began drinking in lockdown
Decades after being sexually abused, the author and doctor Frank Spinelli believed he had moved on emotionally. But alcohol destroyed his sense of security. He describes how he confronted his shame Not so long ago, Frank Spinelli seemed to have sorted out his life. He was happily married, working as a doctor and had a sideline writing medical thrillers. He thought he had dealt with the sexual…
For decades, Frank Spinelli, a doctor and author, believed he had emotionally healed from his childhood sexual abuse. He had married, built a career, and even published a memoir recounting his experience and the subsequent justice he sought against his abuser. Frank felt he had found closure and had worked with skilled therapists to overcome the trauma.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow to his sense of stability. Losing his routine and social engagements, Frank found himself in a state of uncertainty and isolation. He moved his family from Manhattan to a quieter suburb, a change that only exacerbated his feelings of loneliness. He noted, "We know one thing about shame: shame breeds in isolation." Alcohol then became his refuge, stripping away any sense of security he had managed to build.
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