Revue newsletter for Child Abuse Survivor - Issue #24
Here's another week's worth of reading material. I hope your Friday is going well, and you enjoy the weekend!
New From the Blogs
Youth Mental Health - A Crisis, but Ending Pandemic Rules Won't End the Crisis — www.childabusesurvivor.net There's been a lot of talk about youth mental health during the pandemic, including a number of prominent voices raising the alarm about this crisis. There have been almost as many voices suggesting that ending things like lockdowns, mask and vaccine mandates, and just getting "back to normal" will fix this mental health crisis. I am not one of those voices. Now let me be clear, I'm not saying that the pandemic hasn't played a number on mental health for all of us, it clearly has. But, the crisis in mental health for everyone, but especially young people, existed long before COVID-19.
Youth Mental Health - A Crisis, but Ending Pandemic Rules Won't End the Crisis — www.childabusesurvivor.net There's been a lot of talk about youth mental health during the pandemic, including a number of prominent voices raising the alarm about this crisis. There have been almost as many voices suggesting that ending things like lockdowns, mask and vaccine mandates, and just getting "back to normal" will fix this mental health crisis. I am not one of those voices. Now let me be clear, I'm not saying that the pandemic hasn't played a number on mental health for all of us, it clearly has. But, the crisis in mental health for everyone, but especially young people, existed long before COVID-19.
Sharing - What American Mental Health Care Is Missing — www.childabusesurvivor.net We actually know the things that can offer hope, we just don't have a system that can deliver them. Our system is broken, the medical community can offer medicine and some limited treatment options but the day-to-day support and the work to reach a state of something more than symptom reduction doesn't actually exist for most people. This has to change. Go read more of what he has to say, I think for many of you it will seem familiar, but maybe provide some hope that we are not alone in seeing it. Now if we can just find enough of us to care enough to fix it. We should all want to, mental health issues will happen to someone we all know and care about, eventually. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to offer a system that does not involve homelessness and prison time for far too many?
Sharing - Just how useful is childhood therapy? — www.childabusesurvivor.net Unfortunately, whether therapy is effective for your child, or for yourself as an adult, depends on a number of factors. Finding someone you can trust is an obvious one, and sometimes a real struggle. Elsewhere in the article, Melinda talks about the child not currently being in a traumatic situation, notably one interviewee who was seeing a therapist for depression while also being sexually abused at home. She knew she could talk about that, so the therapy was doomed from the start. Sometimes I believe we look at mental health treatments like therapy and dismiss them because "it didn't work" without considering all of the outside factors that can influence whether it works or not.
Shared from Elsewhere
Black and African American Communities and Mental Health | Mental Health America — www.mhanational.org Overall, mental health conditions occur in Black and African American (B/AA) people in America at about the same or less frequency than in White Americans. However, the historical Black and African American experience in America has and continues to be characterized by trauma and violence more often than for their White counterparts and impacts emotional and mental health of both youth and adults. (See prevalence statistics below).
Anosognosiogenesis on Twitter: "It's worth asking: are americans able to express grief? Like, do americans have any socially acceptable way to express mourning, indicate they are experiencing psychological distress at loss, etc" — twitter.com “It's worth asking: are americans able to express grief? Like, do americans have any socially acceptable way to express mourning, indicate they are experiencing psychological distress at loss, etc”
Getting Mental Health Back On The World’s Agenda — www.forbes.com For the second year in a row, concerns over COVID-19 led the World Economic Forum to hold its annual January Davos meeting virtually, rather than in person last week.
Vast Majority of People With Depression Aren't Getting Treatment, Global Review Finds — www.sciencealert.com Depression has become a leading cause of disability worldwide with no signs of slowing down. By 2030, the World Health Organization predicts the disorder could be the main contributor to the global burden of disease.
Eteri Tutberidze: Kamila Valieva’s coach, her abusive methods, and how figure skating celebrated them. — slate.com This is the sport’s Karolyi moment.
Former Lions QB Erik Kramer opens up about suicide attempt, 2nd chance at life — www.clickondetroit.com He was the quarterback the last time the Detroit Lions won a playoff game -- but then, his world overwhelmingly grew dark.
From the Archives
Reviews Elsewhere - Trauma Survivor's Guide to Coping With Panic Attacks by Nicole Dake — www.childabusesurvivor.net I found this review by Kevin C of this book by Nicole Dake and was immediately drawn to the title. As a trauma survivor panic attacks have been a part of my life at various times and I know the same is true for many other survivors I've talked to.
2022 State of Mental Health Report Shows Shocking Lack of Access to Care — www.childabusesurvivor.net The report is available to download in full, or you can skim some of the statistics. As you do though, pay special attention to the section on Access to Care, where you'll learn things like the fact that over 27 million people in the US with some sort of mental health issue did not get any treatment. None. Not a bit. Even in the best state for matching treatment with patients, Vermont, almost 43% of people did not get care.
Silence Does Not Help — www.childabusesurvivor.net My wife sent me this clip of "Kristoff St. John's 'Y&R' Co-Star Eric Braeden's Emotional Reaction to His Friend's Death" She also sent me this message
Sharing - "Reflexes and Habits" Is Much Better Than "Fight or Flight" — www.childabusesurvivor.net This is some really interesting stuff from Jim Hopper. We know that "fight or flight" doesn't truly represent the common reactions to being assaulted, So rather than trying to add new terms, why not just rethink the entire thing?