The Hidden Effects Of Childhood Maltreatment And How Life
By Debra Tullis, Thu Dec 8th

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Violence against women is one of the primary health problemsfacing adults today. Many people are not aware that childhoodmaltreatment is a powerful risk factor for health problems inadulthood. Its victims can suffer lifelong health effects.

Maltreatment is best viewed as a risk factor for a wide range ofsubsequent health problems. Were you neglected, sexually abusedor physically abused as a child? An important step is to facethe truth about how you suffered as a child. Health effects haveto be assessed within a developmental perspective. There areseveral avenues by which abuse can affect health.

The first avenue is physiological. Traumatic events can alterthe brain and body. The human system of self defense becomesdisorganized and overwhelmed. Traumatic events produce profoundchanges in physiological arousal. The nervous system becomessensitized and comes to anticipate trauma. There can be dental,vision or hearing problems. An adult can suffer from headaches,backaches, chest pain, pelvic pain, chronic pain and fatigue.

A second way that abuse that affect health is behavioral. Adultsurvivors may engage in harmful actions or behaviors and becomevery self destructive. Some behavioral examples are self-injury,shame, suicide attempts, eating disorders, high risk sexualactivity, compulsive spending and gambling and substance misuse.These behaviors may be used to numb feelings so the pain can becoped with. These high risk behaviors can impact health.

A third avenue is cognitive - child abuse is associated withdistorted beliefs and perceptions about one's self and one'sbehaviors. These negative beliefs can undermine health and leadto low self-esteem, self blame and feelings of worthlessness andinadequacy. It may be common for adults to have perceptions ofhelplessness, chronic danger and consequent hyper-vigilance. Anadult may become shamed-based and feel they are worthless,unacceptable and bad. This vicious cycle can drive a victiminside a private world

of suffering, loss of power,re-victimization and deep self doubt. Beliefs can certainlyimpact health.

Interpersonal difficulties is another avenue. Adults survivorscan have difficulties in their adult relationships. Examplesinclude difficulties in trusting others, inability to setboundaries, avoidance of intimacy and close relationships andsexual difficulties. These difficulties can result in socialisolation, marital disruptions and divorce. Past maltreatment orvictimization can set up an adult victim for relationshipfailures. This can lead to poor health outcomes.

Finally, the fifth avenue can be in the area of emotionaldifficulties. An adult victim can have anxiety, fear, terror,and sadness. They may adopt a position of surrendering to lifeand feel they are abandoned to their fate. They may developantisocial behaviors that isolate them in relating to others. Anadult may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder which cansignificantly impact daily life. Another result could bedepression and that disorder can have a devastating affect onhealth.

A history of childhood victimization and maltreatment can have asignificant impact on adult health. It can be associated with arange of difficulties in adulthood.

Developing healthier coping skills is a major focus of personalcoaching with an adult who has this history. Coaching can assistan adult in managing stress more effectively. Personal coachingcan help an adult to learn to nurture and care for themselves.There is alot of power in self care. You deserve to live a mostjoyful and healthy life and personal coaching can assist you onyour path to extreme self care and wellness.

About the author:Debra Tullis, MSW, LCSW, BCD is a life coach and a clinicaltherapist. She has a Master's Degree in Social Work and workedin the social service field for the last 24 years. She is BoardCertified in Clinical Social Work and is working toward acertification in life coaching. She is the owner of Coaching forthe Good Life and is a member of the International CoachFederation, Coachville, and the International Association ofCoaches. To learn more