Revue newsletter for Child Abuse Survivor - Issue #8
New From the Blogs
Sharing - 6 Sneaky Signs You're Experiencing Ongoing Trauma From The Pandemic — www.childabusesurvivor.net What did surprise me, though, was that I actually saw all 6 of these signs in myself. All 6. (I also don't think they are all that sneaky, but then again, while I know I've been having worse anxiety lately, all of these did sort of sneak up on me.) So, I don't know about you, but I know for sure that I am now hyper-vigilant, negative, anxious, withdrawn, exhausted, and dealing with more physical aches and pains than I ever have. This article helps me realize that it's not really a coincidence. How about you?
What Are We Unlearning from Childhood Anyway? — www.childabusesurvivor.net These all ring so true to either my own experience or the experiences of other survivors I have known through the years. One of the biggest hurdles we have to clear before we can really even begin to have a semi-normal adult life is believing that the way we grew up is the way all relationships work. Even all these years later, I still have to remind myself that what I do is good enough, at home and at work. Or that it's OK to emotionally connect with new people. It's really difficult to unlearn those lessons from childhood, and yet it's so freeing to realize that what happened to us, wasn't because any of these were true. What happened to us was the result of someone else's actions that are completely unrelated to who we are, or what we deserved.
Sharing - Our Brains Were Not Built for This Much Uncertainty — www.childabusesurvivor.net I guess I feel a little bit better knowing this at least: "To stay motivated as we encounter unprecedented levels of uncertainty in every aspect of our lives, we should understand that the human brain simply was not built for this. Knowing what your brain does well — and what it does surprisingly poorly — can give you a much clearer sense of the strategies you need to not just endure, but to thrive." On the other hand, it's not like the uncertainty is just going to go away and I can get back to the levels my brain is OK with. So, what do we do?
From the Archives
Link - The Downside of Mental Health Awareness — www.childabusesurvivor.net This is the reality. Yes, raising awareness is a good thing. Letting people know they are not alone and eliminating stigma are great things. But…. Having mental health awareness means more people will be able to recognize signs of mental illness, seek care for themselves, and support others. So here comes the bad news....
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?
Abuse Disrupts the Normal Development Cycle — www.childabusesurvivor.net Recently, I have seen too many studies to link here, talking about how the effects of child abuse are being confused for ADHD, or lead to a variety of
Link - How Shame Contaminates Our Lives — and a Path Toward Healing — www.childabusesurvivor.net “A deeply held shame is often the water we swim in. It’s an elusive, privately-held feeling that we don’t like to acknowledge — a nagging sense that something is amiss, that we’re basically flawed, defective, unworthy, and less valuable than others. The philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre expressed the physiological effect of shame as “an immediate shudder...
Shared from Elsewhere
How Does Shame From Toxic Childhood Stress Still Harm Us? | Psychology Today — www.psychologytoday.com Hidden wounds from adverse childhood experiences may run in the background.
We still stigmatize mental illness, and that needs to stop — theconversation.com In any given year, one in five people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. Despite this number there’s still massive stigmatization.
Should students take mental health days? How should they be used? - Deseret News — www.deseret.com The list of state legislatures greenlighting a day to decompress has grown, to cheers from students and mental health experts.
How stigma prevents people from accessing mental health care and what can be done about it | The Seattle Times — www.seattletimes.com Mental health stigma is a complex process that starts when society identifies someone as different — and ends with serious consequences to people's daily functioning and ability to access care....
Marginalized Mental Health Matters: What Experts Want You to Know — www.verywellmind.com This article explores feedback from BIPOC experts who personally understand the impact of oppression on mental health.