Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors Information - Issue #100
We've reached 100 issues.
Thank you for reading the Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors newsletter. Each week I share new blog posts and other resources that aim to help survivors of childhood abuse and those who are struggling with mental health issues feel less alone as we discuss the issues surrounding our issues. If you’ve tried to follow the resources I share on social media and find that the algorithm has decided for you to not show you the things we post, this is the best way to get caught up each week.
For more information about me and why this newsletter exists visit the website - Child Abuse Survivor.
I notice that this is issue number 100. It feels like the kind of thing we should mark, maybe even celebrate. I’ve not been in much of a mood to celebrate of late, the slog of record heat waves, job searching, and “everything else” going on in the world has been draining me more than normal of late. But we move forward. So I will take a moment to mark it. It’s been a couple of years since I settled on this format for a weekly newsletter, starting with the Revue tool that Elon threw away and now on Substack, which is working out quite well, as the author. It allows me to send you all the things I’ve been sharing on social media in one place. As we’ve learned over the last few years, just because you follow me on social media doesn’t mean you actually see any of the things I’m sharing.
I’ve talked about that before, so I won’t say anything more about that. What I will point out is just how much things have changed. When I first started blogging, finding an audience was difficult, there weren’t any tools to share your new posts, you hit publish, provided an RSS feed for the people who used RSS feed readers, and tried to provide content that people were willing to share with their friends. Over the years that audience moved to various social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, etc. I would play around with many of them, with the goal still being to reach abuse survivors wherever they might be, providing them with at least one account or web page out there that let them know they are not alone.
In 2023, I’m no longer really sure where to find those survivors who need to see that. It seems that many of our social media platforms are a mess and getting used less and less. RSS feed readers are still very much a niche tool, I use one, but I don’t know very many people who do. In some ways, circling all the way back to sending out an email newsletter seems to be the best option, as both a creator and a reader.
But if you’re not subscribed, how do those survivors find it? That’s where you come in. This newsletter is free, and it’s easy to share. I give away my time and effort to do what I can in the survivor and mental health communities and I make it easy for you to share the work with anyone you want to. Substack has recently made referral rewards available for writers, where we could give something away for folks who refer a certain number of friends who subscribe. For a free publication, I don’t know what rewards I could offer you. But I’m open to ideas if you have any. Right now, you just get my appreciation, and hopefully the appreciation of the folks who are helped by getting this email every week.
Or maybe you get the many mental health benefits of doing something kind for other people? I think the mental health benefits of giving to others is something we should be paying attention to a lot right now. We’re not only facing a variety of world-wide crises but also a worldwide loneliness epidemic. That’s a terrible combination. There are so. many people all around us who need to be connected to community, a place to give and receive caring, and finding none. I hope this can be that kind of community in a small way.
Before we get into this week’s links and stuff, think about a way you can connect and give to someone you love this weekend. Send them a meme, send them an interesting link you’ve found, just say hi.
It helps.
New from the Blogs
An example of the path to healing being long
I probably still loop back through some of these stages at various times, but it's not part of my daily life anymore. Take this list as a sign to take your time and give yourself grace for how long it takes while celebrating the small victories along the way, but also know that it's worth the time and effort. If I can find the peace and calmness that I have now, imperfect as it is, you can too.
That healing path might look more like this though -
APA Foundation Launches Mental Healthcare Works Resource
You can access the launch page for this new resource here -
https://mentalhealthcareworks.org
Shared from Elsewhere
The Life-Changing Power of a Kind Word - When was the last time you showed some gratitude and appreciation for people in your life?
Related - Why Kindness at Work Pays Off
Video Record-breaking heat in South forces millions of Americans to stay indoors - I was just talking about this in the newsletter last week. It's too hot to be out in nature.
As Legislation Targeting LGBTQ and BIPOC Youth Increases, We Need to Protect Their Mental Health
It is that time of year again - 7 Tips for Addressing Back-to-School Anxiety
Related - What Everyone Ought to Know About Anxiety
From the Archives
Another Reminder – Just Because Something Works for Others, Does Not Mean It’ll Work For You
If Mindfulness is something that helps you, great. If it doesn’t, don’t beat yourself up over that fact, or continue a practice that is actually causing harm. That makes no sense at all. Just accept that it’s not for you, and hopefully, the people around us who are pushing it as the cure-all, especially the ones trying to sell it to you, can learn to accept that too.
Think before you post or share anything on social media. Consider what it is that you are distributing and whether it adds to the lives of the people who follow you.
Anyone who suggests there is a simple solution to the mental health problem facing us as a country and the world is not to be taken seriously.
Thanks for reading. If you find this newsletter informative and helpful to you, spread the word. That’s the best way you can say thank you for the effort I put in each week.