I’m coming at you later than usual. That’s because it’s been a bit of a busy week, and the time I usually spend finishing this up on Thursday and schedule to send early Friday was instead spent with Baton Rouge’s own The Bends, at their album release party.
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 them.
For more information about me and why this newsletter exists, visit the website, Child Abuse Survivor.
The show was fun, which is maybe my whole point in mentioning it here. Good music, good times, good company. All of it was good for my anxiety and over all mental health.
What small, fun, thing can you do today that will lift your mood, or the moods of people around you? Many of them might not even require staying out late on a Thursday.
New from the Blogs
Sharing - Chronic shame may drive destructive thought patterns in abuse survivors
I don’t always recognize myself as a survivor of emotional abuse, because the physical and sexual abuse was more obvious and memorable, but this description sounds familiar, and the reality of shame because of our abuse is something I think any of us who grew up with abuse as a kid feel.
That shame can lead to brooding and constantly trying to fix ourselves. That, I understand. The frustration of trying to fix ourselves because of something that wasn’t even our fault to begin with can be immense. If anything, I’d like to see resources that help all of us give ourselves a break and understand that this was someone else’s personal failing, not ours.
Sharing - When the Alarm Won’t Stop Ringing
The point, however, is that having intrusive thoughts, anxious thoughts, is something we can talk about, even make jokes about. It happens. We can’t always control what messages our brains want to send us about what we should be afraid of. We control which ones we react to. We control knowing the difference between a realistic fear and an intrusive one.
Mostly, I feel like if we all admitted to having them, maybe it wouldn’t be something to freak out about when someone else has one.
Worth Reading - Teen Social Media Bans Miss the Point
The problem wasn’t trying to keep kids safer by limiting the time they spent away from home unsupervised; it was not giving them alternative ways to build the same connections and skills. When I read about social media bans, I have the same question. How are we replacing the connections to friends, family, supportive communities, and educational information? Because if we aren’t, we’ll protect them from one thing and create other issues.
If not social media, then where?
Sharing - Vulnerable adolescents face sharp drop in mental health service access
We are failing to protect kids from trauma, and them failing to provide proper resources to assist them after that trauma. There’s no nice way to put this failure.
Shared from Elsewhere
A final post from last week:
“Our voices need to be heard”: Stories of hope for World Suicide Prevention Day
Maybe this could be something we do for our mental health? - Reading for pleasure linked to better mental health and greater empathy
Tips like these are always worth sharing with your people - Mental health matters: How to help someone struggling in silence
This too - Dealing with Anxiety and Depression
Finally, because I work with lawyers, and our industry needs to talk about it more - New study finds widespread mental health concerns among lawyers
Making a Difference:
This Teenager Isn’t Waiting for Adults to Fix the Youth Mental-Health Crisis
San Antonio Boys & Girls Clubs offer free mental health counseling after school
First Lady Launches Free Mental Health Platform on Suicide Prevention Day
Travis Kelce Wants Men To Be More Open About Their Mental Health: ‘It’s A Big Thing’
Nick Suzuki’s Heroes Golf Tournament puts mental health in the spotlight
Oklahoma’s ‘You good?’ campaign aims to spark mental health conversations
Thanks for reading. If you find this newsletter informative and helpful, please share it with others. That’s the best way to express gratitude for my weekly efforts.