Parents Whose children have been sexually abused Community Group
This group is for parents whose children have been sexually abused. We welcome both Mothers and Fathers. Here, we can offer support to one another. We can vent, cry and lift each other up. No condemning or criticizing allowed. We are here for support. We LOVE (((HUGS))) !
I was getting some information together for a friend of mine who wanted to know about damage to her childs brain because of Childhood Sexual Abuse. I thought I would post this here for everybody. I always believe that armed with the truth we are better prepared to deal with reality. This study helped me in dealing with the emotions my wife has gone through and will continue to go through. For her finally knowing why she struggles with her emotions made it easier for her to comprehend and deal with her abuse.
Childhood Sexual Abuse Causes Physical Brain Damage: An Alarming New Study82
rate or flag this pageBy GarnetBird
The hippocampus as shown in this Harvard Medical School diagram.
The brain cannot process stressors properly if it has been damaged. Photo courtesy of US Army. A New Study Casts Light on the Terrible Darkness of the Incest Survivor..
It is estimated that childhood sexual abuse affects over 40 million people yearly, just in the United States alone. To those of you, like myself, who struggle daily with symptoms and defense mechanisms aquired from childhood incest, this study will prove especially enlightening. It will also, hopefully soften the attitude of family members and close friends who must endure the drama of the survivor. So many times I have heard well-meaning people state, "Just move on and forget about it," or the more judgmental, "You're just CHOOSING to be unhappy."
The problem is not that survivors want to stay miserable--new research indicates that childhood sexual trauma causes actual shrinkage and damage to the part of the brain called the hippocampus. This finding in itself is shocking and astounding. The hippocampus deals with learning, stress responses and memory. When brain stressors such as early sexual abuse and incest impact its development in children, the lasting effects into adulthood can be profound. Pop-up memories, intrusive, negative thoughts, flashbacks and a kind of over-all numbing called disassociation are just some of the symptoms this causes. To anyone who like myself has experienced incest recall "popping up" while they are pushing a grocery cart, this can be devastating and difficult to treat even with the best of therapists.
Some of the symptoms associated with the shrinkage of the hippocampus feed into what is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This bag of disturbing "tricks" the mind plays on survivors includes flashbacks, feeling uneasy and "on edge," and on guard constantly, nightmares, and general problems associated with memory. Gaps in memory can also occur, for a few minutes to a few days. This may well explain the emergence of abuse memories suddenly "popping up" at a later age in a survivor's life. The hippocampus also affects the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, where stress responses are absorbed and dealt with.
Incest survivors have a far more serious response to stress than those who have not experienced severe childhood abuse. I, for one, have to get more sleep than what is normal in order to function in a stable manner. I also need down time in which to think, dream and generaly detach from outside stressors. This need can appear to others as being "lazy" or even "spoiled." Think of the Incest Survivor as a very sensitive child in an adult body. The child has to be protected constantly in order to thrive and feel "safe."Again, this is not coddling oneself. With brain damage as a side effect of such abuse, all survivors need to watch and monitor their stress responses carefully. One of my favorite sayings is, "I'm not hiding from life...I'm healing from it."
We all admire injured or disabled athletes for jogging or walking at their own pace. We think of them as brave and heroic. In this same manner, the Trauma Victim needs to be viewed in a positive light, not judged for pulling away when they need to. Quiet "down time" can be very healing and soothing. Or as a friend of mine said (who experienced Satanic Ritual Abuse as a little girl} "I don't need dramas or roller coasters. Inside, I AM a roller coaster."
The work Dr. Bremner conducted took place at the Yale Psychiatric Institute, and is available at the following link: www.lawandpsychiatry.com/html/hippocampus.htm. Actual loss of neurons related to stress in this vital part of the brain has been documented in his work.
Warmest Regards,
Tom
Childhood Sexual Abuse Causes Physical Brain Damage: An Alarming New Study82
rate or flag this pageBy GarnetBird
The hippocampus as shown in this Harvard Medical School diagram.
The brain cannot process stressors properly if it has been damaged. Photo courtesy of US Army. A New Study Casts Light on the Terrible Darkness of the Incest Survivor..
It is estimated that childhood sexual abuse affects over 40 million people yearly, just in the United States alone. To those of you, like myself, who struggle daily with symptoms and defense mechanisms aquired from childhood incest, this study will prove especially enlightening. It will also, hopefully soften the attitude of family members and close friends who must endure the drama of the survivor. So many times I have heard well-meaning people state, "Just move on and forget about it," or the more judgmental, "You're just CHOOSING to be unhappy."
The problem is not that survivors want to stay miserable--new research indicates that childhood sexual trauma causes actual shrinkage and damage to the part of the brain called the hippocampus. This finding in itself is shocking and astounding. The hippocampus deals with learning, stress responses and memory. When brain stressors such as early sexual abuse and incest impact its development in children, the lasting effects into adulthood can be profound. Pop-up memories, intrusive, negative thoughts, flashbacks and a kind of over-all numbing called disassociation are just some of the symptoms this causes. To anyone who like myself has experienced incest recall "popping up" while they are pushing a grocery cart, this can be devastating and difficult to treat even with the best of therapists.
Some of the symptoms associated with the shrinkage of the hippocampus feed into what is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This bag of disturbing "tricks" the mind plays on survivors includes flashbacks, feeling uneasy and "on edge," and on guard constantly, nightmares, and general problems associated with memory. Gaps in memory can also occur, for a few minutes to a few days. This may well explain the emergence of abuse memories suddenly "popping up" at a later age in a survivor's life. The hippocampus also affects the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, where stress responses are absorbed and dealt with.
Incest survivors have a far more serious response to stress than those who have not experienced severe childhood abuse. I, for one, have to get more sleep than what is normal in order to function in a stable manner. I also need down time in which to think, dream and generaly detach from outside stressors. This need can appear to others as being "lazy" or even "spoiled." Think of the Incest Survivor as a very sensitive child in an adult body. The child has to be protected constantly in order to thrive and feel "safe."Again, this is not coddling oneself. With brain damage as a side effect of such abuse, all survivors need to watch and monitor their stress responses carefully. One of my favorite sayings is, "I'm not hiding from life...I'm healing from it."
We all admire injured or disabled athletes for jogging or walking at their own pace. We think of them as brave and heroic. In this same manner, the Trauma Victim needs to be viewed in a positive light, not judged for pulling away when they need to. Quiet "down time" can be very healing and soothing. Or as a friend of mine said (who experienced Satanic Ritual Abuse as a little girl} "I don't need dramas or roller coasters. Inside, I AM a roller coaster."
The work Dr. Bremner conducted took place at the Yale Psychiatric Institute, and is available at the following link: www.lawandpsychiatry.com/html/hippocampus.htm. Actual loss of neurons related to stress in this vital part of the brain has been documented in his work.
Warmest Regards,
Tom
Thank you so much for the information. it will be a great help in understanding what our future holds.
http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?section=Facts for Families&name=Child Abuse - The Hidden Bruises