Interested In Learning How Trauma Affects Us?

Happy Spring! May is Mental Health and Trauma Awareness Month and I wanted to share this Ted Talk video about how childhood trauma affects mental and physical health based on the ACEs study conducted several years ago by the CDC and Kaiser. 

Childhood trauma "in high doses affects brain development, the immune system, hormonal systems, and the way our DNA is read and transcribed". People who are subjected at high doses are at an increased risk for "heart disease and lung cancer, and a 20 year difference in life expectancy".

Examples of childhood trauma include categories such as physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, physical or emotional neglect, witnessing domestic violence, parental substance abuse, parental major mental health issues (including a parent who attempted suicide), and a parent being absent due to divorce or imprisonment.

We know that the more categories (mentioned above) someone has experienced, the more likely they are to deal with physical issues later in life, but also mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, difficulties with impulse control, lowered feelings of self worth, and engaging in risky behaviors. 

So people often ask- what now?! 

Having this knowledge is the first step. But we also know that doing the right types of trauma therapy after trauma occurs can have a huge effect on that person's future (and the future of others' in that person's life). The sooner someone is able to start processing trauma they've experienced, the sooner they can move forward to feeling better, feeling lighter, and feeling more contentment. 

Therapies such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) are great therapies to engage in to help process trauma. 

Thanks for reading and being in connection with me,

Steph