Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors Information - Issue #96
Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not happening
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.
This comic wasn’t necessarily about abusers, but it hit home for me:
There’s a link in the “from the archive” section below about this too. The idea that predators would be obvious to pick out, as opposed to a predator having enough social skills to maybe even be someone we like. This crosses over into a lot of areas. I didn’t see that person be inappropriate with kids, they didn’t hit or bully me, they didn’t sexual assault anyone I know, I’ve not heard them say anything racist, or I never saw them harassing any women at work, etc. So, it must not be true.
Just because you’re not the mouse doesn’t mean it’s not true. You don’t know what happens when you’re not looking. If you’ve been fortunate enough to have avoided abuse, bullying, and harassment, good for you. We know it goes on. We know it’s happening right now somewhere, to many other people.
It happens when someone thinks they can get away with it, because everyone else likes them so much they won’t believe the mouse.
New from the Blogs
Houston Landing Series on Deadly Detention
Texas cut funding for community programs by $101 million in 2003. This has left many people with mental health problems homeless, and involved with emergency rooms and law enforcement more than they are with mental health care. Once in prison, the staff there is not equipped to deal with mental health issues, and inmates deteriorate to the point of dying by suicide or the results of some other violent interaction with other inmates or staff.
Because prison is no place to get better.
According to research, children who grew up with various forms of maltreatment are likely to have this in adulthood:
Alexithymia (also known as emotional blindness) is a condition characterized by difficulty in identifying and describing emotions. It is now recognized as a personality trait rather than a psychosomatic disorder, and it is believed to be relatively stable over time.
Sharing - New study shows the top healthcare issue in rural America is mental health and addiction
There have been some efforts to make health care more accessible in rural areas, but I'm not sure that we've done nearly as much when it comes to mental health and addiction treatment. I've read too many stories of people needing to travel 100 miles or more to see a therapist, or get a prescription for medication, let alone finding a rehab clinic with an opening. Throw in a system that too often forgets that they exist, or uses them as pawns in power grabs instead of trying to meet the needs of these communities, and it's no wonder that many would be feeling helpless in the face of addiction and mental health issues.
Shared from Elsewhere
There was another link found in recent studies that you might want to read up on - The Inexorable Link Between Childhood Trauma and Hormonal Imbalances
A few items to read about helping kids:
This is a review of a Ted Talk on male suicide, with a link to the talk as well. It’s also a reminder that there is still a stigma around men who struggle with mental health issues. We are supposed to be strong, silent, and “man-up”. That expectation might also be killing some of us. - Recognizing Male Suicide
From the Archives
Toxic positivity alienates us from our own negative emotions and the real emotions of other people. Toxic shame alienates us from our own value and the value that others place in having us in their lives.
Link – How “socially skilled” child molesters get us to ignore red flags
Far too often we miss the signs not because they aren’t there, but because we can’t comprehend a pedophile being someone we like.
Quick Thought #14 – When it’s Someone You Know, You Know.
The trick, whether you want to talk about public health issues like Covid-19 or mental health issues, is getting people to understand that it happens to anyone, anywhere. People like them, people they know. Because something about our brain changes when it’s someone we know, and we can see it, experience it, live with it.
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.