BEING ABUSED AS A CHILD
CAUSES MENTAL PROBLEMS IN ADULT PERIODR
As in all over the world, most of the child abuse in our country is caused by the child. This abuse is either committed by their close circle, or they remain silent about this abuse experienced by their close circle. However, remaining silent about this abuse in childhood and not providing the necessary support to the child in adulthood; It can lead to many mental and physical problems such as forgetfulness, inadequate brain development, attachment problems and eating disorders. Psychiatrist Dr. Hakan Karaş gave information about the disorders that occur most frequently in adults who were neglected or abused in childhood.
- Self-Confidence Is Damaged
Childhood years are the years when an individual's personality develops and he learns to cope with difficulties. Especially for children who are exposed to long-term physical or sexual abuse, their basic sense of trust is shaken. Their beliefs in themselves, other people and the world are negatively affected. The self-confidence of children growing up in an environment of physical, sexual or emotional abuse is damaged. These people not only experience emotional difficulties more than other people, but also do not have the skills to cope with these emotional difficulties precisely because of this abusive environment.
According to research; It shows that traumas experienced in childhood are usually caused by the figures to whom children first attach themselves (mother, father, relatives or acquaintances of the family). Sometimes parents, who are the primary attachment figures, witness the child's abuse and do not take action to prevent it. In this case, the child falls into deep distrust and helplessness towards his most trusted attachment figures. Because the people to whom one can take shelter in the face of these physical and sexual traumas may already be the perpetrators of abuse. Sometimes, the fact that people the parents know are committing abuse also leads to mistrust towards the parents. If the parent witnesses the abuse and does not take an active stance, this distrust deepens and is accompanied by helplessness. This man, who constitutes the first example of his relationship with other people, Traumatic experiences often continue to cause problems in the adult life of the child whose basic sense of trust is shaken.
- They Experience Attachment and Relationship Problems
A close relationship with a caregiver during childhood is very important. Through relationships with these first attachment figures, we learn as children to trust other people, regulate our emotions, and relate to the world. If a child is exposed to abuse by his or her caregivers, or if the caregiver witnesses the abuse and does not try to prevent it, the child develops beliefs that he or she is bad and that the world is a scary place. These beliefs often persist throughout adult life. Children who are not directly abused by their parents may also have difficulty establishing a safe relationship with their parents. Adults who have been exposed to childhood abuse for a long time also experience attachment problems in their close relationships. Not only the bilateral relations of these people, but also their relationships with friends and authority figures may be problematic.
- Their Brain Development Is Negatively Affected
From childhood to adolescence, brain development continues, just like body development. In a child growing up under fear and excessive stress, the development of the stress response system and immune system is also negatively affected. When faced with daily or mild stress in later adulthood, he may react as if he were experiencing extreme stress. For example; The sympathetic nervous system may become overactive or completely shut down the stress system at that moment. According to the research; It has been shown that the brain development of adults who experienced chronic or severe trauma in their childhood is also negatively affected. It has been determined that the connections between these people's neurons (brain cells) are weaker and their brain activity is slower when they are at rest. In addition, it has been observed that there is a decrease in the gray matter in the fear center, emotion regulation center and memory centers of these people's brains.
- They Are More Prone to Physical Diseases
There are changes in the pain thresholds of people who had traumatic experiences in childhood. ir. This is because; The pain processing process of the nervous system is affected by past traumas. Some people are more sensitive to pain, while others feel less pain. People who were exposed to chronic sexual and physical abuse in their childhood; They are more prone to developing headaches, chronic body aches, fibromyalgia, ulcers, skin diseases and heart diseases.
- Forgetfulness is Common
Dissociation or dissociation; It means that the integrity of human consciousness is lost and some breaks occur in the thought process. Dissociation symptoms are seen in almost all people who have been exposed to violence and harassment, and after the trauma. It may occur repeatedly after many years, especially in people who were abused in childhood. They may feel like their own body is something separate from themselves or as if they are looking at themselves from outside, as if they are in a dream and the world outside is not real. These are defenses aimed at protecting the person from the trauma he or she has experienced. The person tries to keep a part of his or her self separate and tries to feel as if that part of the self experienced the trauma rather than the whole self. This segregation includes memory. That's why forgetfulness is common in people who have been abused, and this forgetfulness can sometimes reach extreme levels.
- They Are Prone to Impulse Control and Eating Problems
Childhood abuse makes it difficult to regulate emotions and to control one's impulses in adulthood. They may have behaviors that are harmful to themselves and others due to impulse control problems. At the same time, eating control may also be impaired. It is known that childhood neglect and abuse are common in people with eating disorders.
- Trust Issues Affect Sexual Life
Depression is the most important problem. One of the reasons is childhood abuse. Childhood traumas play a major role, especially in recurrent and chronic depression. Being abused in childhood can also lead to anxiety disorders. Especially people who were exposed to sexual abuse in childhood, They have difficulty maintaining a healthy sexual life during their years. Problems of trust in the partner, feelings of guilt, and negative coding of sexuality in the person's mind due to experienced traumas lead to sexual problems.
- If Psychotherapy Option Is Available, It Should Be Considered
The likelihood of all kinds of psychiatric disorders increases in people who were exposed to abuse in childhood. It is important for the person to make sense of these difficult experiences in his past and place them in a more bearable mental framework. Therefore, drug therapy alone may not work. If possible, psychotherapy support should be provided to the person with childhood traumas. With psychotherapy, the person's capacity to cope with emotional difficulties increases and the negative effects and contamination of past troubles on the present life and the future can be prevented.
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