Revue newsletter for Child Abuse Survivor - Issue #19
I hope you all have a great weekend. If you enjoy this newsletter and the links I share, please share it with a friend!
New from the Blogs
Every Day Is a Good Day to Talk About Mental Health, but There are Some Upcoming Special Ones — www.childabusesurvivor.net I'm a firm believer that we don't need any kind of special permission to talk about mental health and the stories of people dealing with mental health issues any day that we want to, but I also wanted to bring a couple of special days that are being set aside in Canada and the UK for the purpose.
Why I Don't Tell People I'm Struggling Either — www.childabusesurvivor.net When Laura talks about the reactions she's afraid of getting she is 100% correct. A big part of why I hesitate often to tell people when I'm struggling, feeling incredibly anxious, depressed, or just mentally out of sorts is because I absolutely do not want to hear about how many other people are struggling worse. I already know there are a lot of people struggling. People who don't have the resources I do, don't have the support I do, with poor physical health issues or being a part of an underprivileged group, etc. I know, and I understand that I am privileged to have the things that I do and the tools to try and take care of myself that others do not. And yet, my struggles are still struggles. If I am telling you about them it's because I need someone to know. I need to be heard. I need to explain what is happening in my own head to someone who will listen to me. I am not negating anyone else's struggle by talking about my own. Please understand when I, or someone else you know, comes to you and tells you that they are struggling with our mental health, it has likely taken all of our energy just to gather up the courage to tell anyone, so when you deflect like this it's devastating to us. We carry these heavy, heavy, burdens with us every single day of our lives and we simply need someone to recognize them and maybe help us a little bit every now and again.
Sharing - How to help someone having a panic attack: 3 immediate actions you can take — www.childabusesurvivor.net Would you know if someone you know is having a panic attack? Whether it be at work, at some social event, or even within your own home with your family, it can make a huge difference to first know what a panic attack looks like, and then if they agree to your help, what help you can provide.
Shared from Elsewhere
Seeing Ghislaine Maxwell Convicted as a Sexual Abuse Survivor | The Mighty — themighty.com As a childhood sexual abuse survivor, Monika Sudakov shares how it feels to see Ghislaine Maxwell convicted of sex trafficking in her involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, along with her hopes for how sexual abuse cases are handled and prosecuted in the future.
How to Choose a Therapist: Tips and Fits — stopabusecampaign.org Therapy can truly change your life, but choosing a therapist can be a daunting task. How to choose a therapist fit to your specific needs?
Mental Health Support Groups: 5 Unique Benefits | The Mighty — themighty.com Betsey shares her experience of joining a support group for her mental health, and the benefits she has found from doing so.
We can't ignore the role mental health plays in conspiracy theory beliefs — mashable.com Our solutions for tackling misinformation must incorporate well-being and mental health.
From the Archives
Today, I Had to Say I'm Not OK — www.childabusesurvivor.net I had to follow my own advice yesterday, and do something that wasn't easy, and made me feel weak. I had to admit that I'm not OK
Sharing - A new study has found being angry increases your vulnerability to misinformation — www.childabusesurvivor.net Really, there are two things you can do to fight falling for misinformation. You could try to never be angry, but I don't think that's realistic. There are things to be angry about, rightfully. We can't go through live just not feeling anything. The thing I think we can do, and the thing I work hard at myself, is staying humble. Never assume you "know" everything, that you never make mistakes, that there is nothing more for you to learn. That's how you fight misinformation, and it's also really helpful when it comes to fighting negative thoughts, depression, anxiety, etc.
Link - If your organisation is looking for offenders, you’re leaving children at risk — www.childabusesurvivor.net This is an interesting opinion piece out of Australia, one that I think we should think about more. The Commissioners found, “There is no typical profile of an adult perpetrator”. They found that the strategies used to sexually abuse children would differ greatly depending on the context in which the abuse occurred. As a result,...
More Proof That Early Interventions Are Key — www.childabusesurvivor.net So, when I see a study like this, I don't feel defeated, I don't feel like we are all just broken and doomed to poorer outcomes. I see the possibility that there is room to change this current reality, but it's going to take changing how we deal with childhood adversity and doing it in an open, honest, and immediate way. High levels of childhood adversity don't have to be an early death sentence. We can, and should, intervene early in order to prevent many of these outcomes. We just need the determination and will to make it happen. Do we have that?