Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors Information - Issue #118
Another week and another issue
Last week the newsletter went out late due to me being in the office all week and just exhausted from “peopling”. The week prior the issue was a little less than I would like due to the anxiety around the upcoming trip to the office and meeting all these people for the first time.
This week, I’m back at home but dealing with Covid. This was, ironically, not one of the things that was high on the anxiety list pre-trip, but surely will be from now on.
So I’ve got that going for me. ;-)
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.
For more information about me and why this newsletter exists visit the website - Child Abuse Survivor.
Is there a lesson in all of this? Other than just don’t go anywhere with people? No, that’s not really the lesson. Regular readers know how often we talk about the importance of friendships and human connection, I’m not about to reverse that advice now. Be more careful? Sure. But I don’t think the lesson is never see people. That’s also not good for us.
No, the thing I’m reminding myself is that no matter how many scenarios play out ahead of time in my anxiety-riddled brain, I can’t possibly plan for everything. What I can do, though, is trust myself to adapt to whatever happens because I’ve done it before, and so have you.
New from the Blogs
The Meaning of Being Traumatized as a Child
Why was I abused? Because someone else decided to abuse me.
That's all there is to it. There are many other things we could say about family relationships and dysfunction, failing societal systems, etc. All of that may have made it easier, but at the end of the day, someone made the decision to abuse a child, and that is why I was abused.
The more difficult question is, what does that trauma mean for me moving forward in my life? That's not as easy to answer. As Rebekah says, as young children dependent on the love of others to take care of us, protect us, and nurture us into adulthood, we lost that. That impacts how we move forward, which may look very different for all of us as we try to reconnect with that love.
Linked - The ripple effects of layoffs
It's December, and the number of organizations conducting layoffs keeps growing. It's been a never-ending cycle of layoffs. Let's not kid ourselves and assume that everyone is feeling OK about that. Let's not ignore the mental health elephant in the room, let alone the damage to workplace culture.
Shared from Elsewhere
We know this is true - Most Americans with mental health needs don't get treatment, report finds.
Why you should invite old friends, strangers, and people who don’t know each other to events
In a time when loneliness is more pervasive than ever, why not extend an invitation?
From the Archives
If You Think Getting Medical Care is Confusing and Difficult
I’ve got news for you. Yes, navigating the world of health insurance when you, or a family member, is physically sick can be difficult. We’ve all either had, or have heard story after story, of declined coverage, lack of options, costs of prescriptions, and on and on. The list of complaints are fairly endless.
Well, what if I told you that people seeking treatment for their mental health, have it significantly worse?
The Truth Is, We Aren’t OK and Probably Won’t Be For Awhile
If you aren’t struggling, you just haven’t been paying attention. We are all struggling, none of us is alone in that. I’m reminded of this at least once a week, and I can only hope that you are too. And if you’re not reminded of that fact, find some other folks who can be honest about their struggles.
This is not a time to feel alone. This is a time to come together and help bridge the massive gaps that exist for mental health treatment and support in our society. Maybe we can’t magically make thousands of new therapists appear, or create the magic app that will offer the perfect AI-based therapy, but we can certainly offer up our honesty and our struggles to each other.
Kindness matters, and kids who see kindness not just directed at them, but acts of kindness that they witness second-hand, have fewer signs of anxiety and other issues.
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.
Thanks for sharing