Childhood Abuse?
Question:
Thanks.
Answers:
I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse, and I do feel that it has had an impact on my health. I have had serious joint problems, including TMJ, as well as a high suseptibility to infections and viruses. Overall I generally feel achey and sore for no reason. I think it's because of the chronic stress caused by trauma. It's very tiring on the body to be under constant stress, which wears down the immune system and leaves you vulnerable. The TMJ is most likely from me grinding my teeth/clenching my jaw at night (another stess-related condition). I think most adverse health problems experienced by victims of abuse can be linked to long-term effects of stress. Being a survivor of abuse is VERY stressful, and even during "good" days I think I experience a higher level of stress than normal. PTSD causes hightened anxiety and hypervigilance (being overly aware of your surroundings and prepared for danger).
Also, victims of sexual abuse are less likely to seek medical help because of discomfort, embarassment, and shame. I don't want a stranger touching me and asking me questions about my body unless it's really necessary. This can lead to delayed medical care and more serious health issues. Survivors also have a tendancy to feel alientated/disconnected from their own bodies, which can lead to delayed medical care and untreated illness. Some people even feel a sense of rage towards their own bodies for being used against them, which can lead to mistreatment and a sort of "I don't care" attitude towards health.
Abuse survivors are also not always very good about taking care of themselves (partially because we don't always know how. You learn how to care for yourself from others caring for you - if you never had that, it's hard to do). Shame, guilt, depression, and anxiety can lead to self-destructive behaviors like self-medicating with alcohol and drugs, poor diet/eating disorders, cutting, risk-taking behaviors, and suicide attempts, all of which obviously impact physical health.
Hope this helps!
Sabine1313
Yes, I think it does. But I also think that as difficult as it may be after some time has passed you have to go back and emotionally relieve the pain/abuse you experienced and by doing so let it go. Most importantly, when you do so...you have to realize that you were the victim of an unbalanced older person and the abuse you got didn't stem from you're being bad or unworthy...it was simply their problem and you were a handy target.Good luck, I've been there.and for the longest time though there was no reason to feel I was a nothing...a loser..I did.Now I've moved on with my life...Again, good luck.
yes. and YES. What happens to us shapes who we are. It never goes away.
Yes, and it has both negatively and positively (mainly negatively) impacted every facet of my life.
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