Health and Healing Dealing with Trauma and Addictions

What’s the difference between sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment and rape? 

The increased public conversation surrounding sexual assault, harassment, sexual violence and abuse is an important step forward. It’s helping lead a national and global movement that aims to address this prevalent problem, also letting people who have experienced sexual assault know they aren’t alone. 

1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men approximately e...

 Highly sensitive children have special gifts, as well as unique challenges.  Children do not “become” highly sensitive, and there is not much we can do to help our children be less sensitive (other than tactics that would flatten their authenticity and create shame).
They experience emotional extremes; they have bigger reactions to sensory input, they are more prone to meltdowns, they are keenly tuned in to everyone and every...

Our understanding of trauma and its effects on people is clearer than it was just a few years ago. One key thing we’ve learned trauma is much more common than we once thought. For example, many people with unresolved trauma will turn to drugs, or alcohol to numb themselves to it—and they get addicted in the process. Many other addictions follow, besides drugs and alcohol.  We know 75 percent of the female patients report a traumati...

While it’s true that every heart loves in its own unique way, there are certain traits that make some people effortlessly lovable. Being an easy person to love involves a delightful blend of qualities that draw others toward you. There are so many different factors that go into the type of people you attract into your life. 

People who display traits such as kindness, empathy, compassion, trust and honesty were found to be more attr...

“What to the Slave Is the Fourth July?” by Frederick Douglass is not only a brilliant work of oratory. It speaks to our every frustration spurred by the gap between the ideals of the United States and the reality we witness every day; between the Bill of Rights and our decaying civil liberties; between the USA’s international declarations of human rights and the ordered drone attacks backed by presidential “kill lists”; between the...

America’s Independence Day should be celebrated, but should people of color celebrate when it’s factual that they were not included as a free or independent people? Mr. Douglas didn’t think so. Today many refuse to celebrate, because of the negative slap in the face political and grand standing of white America even in religion. Many say ‘well that was so long ago’, how about listening to today’s political leaders and compare ...

Many African Americans in the United States have been impacted by structural racism since slavery and continue to experience trauma because of health disparities, economic disadvantages, and segregation. Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome (PTSS) explains why many African Americans continue to experience trauma. PTSS is a condition that exists as a consequence of multigenerational oppression of African and their descendants resulting f...

The effects of close relationships on mental health may seem obvious, but what about other types of relationships?  Family structures, our friends, and romantic partners and acquaintances' help to increase feelings of belonging. They can also be damaging and blur the line of who our friends really are. 
However, the quality of your relationships is really important too. Experts say there’s evidence that negative relationsh...

Personality is an important determinant of many outcomes including relationship satisfaction and psychopathology. The aim of this work was to better understand the role of personality as it relates to psychopathology with satisfaction as a mediating variable in relationship satisfaction.  No study to date has examined whether relationship satisfaction mediates the connection between personality and psychopathology.   This was accom...

PTSD 

As much as people might not want to discuss it, it is said, traumatic experiences are not rare. For a long time, it was believed that only those who had served in the military could develop PTSD, but that's simply not true. PTSD can affect anyone who's experienced a traumatic event.  If you've experienced an extremely stressful event that's left you feeling helpless and emotionally out of control, you may h...

Many people who struggle with suicidal thoughts feel like they are alone. You would be surprised by how much the Bible talks about suicide. There are several helpful examples of those who took their life and many reminders of hope throughout Scripture. Even though these stories from the Bible are of people overwhelmed by fear, guilt, heartache, illness, pride, disillusionment, deception, and hopelessness, nowhere in God's Word...

When the festive season feels more overwhelming than it does joyful, your holiday stress level could be at its max. But practicing self-care and delegating responsibilities may help you cope.  Stress isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s anything that presents a challenge to your body’s systems, physically, mentally — or both. It can help you excel, achieve goals, and feel motivated.

It can also stick around too long, which may make yo...

Expert discusses history of generational trauma, coping mechanisms.
According to many therapists and mental health professionals, sometimes trauma isn't derived from a one-time, extreme life event. People are often unaware of the signs of generational trauma, which can include depression, anxiety or distrust of certain groups or institutions.
Community is often crucial in addressing generational trauma. Building commu...

How much time do you want to progress? 

Let’s talk about race baby, let’s talk about you and me, let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that can be:  The concept of race and identity are relatively new concepts to mankind and connected indelibly to the problems of racism in America. Have things gotten better for people of color, are these concepts harming the people of non-color? As each group strive for progress in...

How is our identity cultivated in our minds and the minds of others? Psychologists state that we must first discover our personal potential then choose a purpose for living. After we've identified how to use our potential, we must find opportunities to implement it in ways that fulfill our sense of purpose. As we age, we continue to develop our identity by reevaluating our potential and realigning our sense of purpose, without...

Our understanding of trauma and its effects on people is clearer than it was just a few years ago. One key thing we’ve learned, trauma is much more common than we once thought. For example, many people with unresolved trauma will turn to drugs or alcohol to numb themselves to it—and they get addicted in the process. Many other addictions follow, besides drugs and alcohol. 
75 percent of the female patients we see report a trau...

Many different forms of abuse have been known to take place within relationships. Some people think that just because the abuse is not physical, it isn’t a problem. However, other forms of abuse can end up being much more damaging to the victim’s mental health.
Emotional and psychological abuse are both quite distinct from physical abuse, and although they do not leave physical marks, they can be just as destructive. Emotional ...

TRAUMA IS AN EMOTIONAL response that occurs when you experience a distressing event, Sometimes, trauma gets passed down through families.  Generational trauma isn’t a diagnosable mental health disorder, but it can nonetheless manifest in many different ways and affect individuals and families as a whole for a very long time.
Trauma refers to stress that’s so overwhelming and severe that it impacts your emotional, mental, physi...