
Abuse, Trauma & the Body/Brain
I am listing articles and posts that I think may give helpful information on how abuse in early childhood affects the physical development of the brain and what that can mean for healing and for later life. I believe it is very important to understand this.
When the brain physically develops differently…it can have lasting effects. We need to know about these things so that we can work toward finding a way to undo that…or at least find a way to work with it and around it.
I also believe it is important to understand so that we are not beating ourselves up about things over which we have no control. Sometimes, it is not about more counseling or therapy. It is not about more meds. In fact, there might not even be a med that can help! It is not about “getting over it” or “moving beyond what happened to us” or “hanging onto things”. Sometimes, it is more (or even only) about learning how to live with what is. I am not saying that the learning is simple or easy…only that we need to recognize that the issue may not be what we think it is. It may not be emotional or mental, but rather something physical which is affecting the emotional and mental.
The more we understand about how abuse physically affects us in the long term…or even permanently (barring, of course, discoveries to aid in healing)…the more we can walk with heads held high and stop wasting energy on feeling badly about ourselves and focus more on discovery and working with what is.
I think it is also important because it will help us to educate others who may not understand why we are the way we are.
If anyone has links to suggest, please let me know.
I am not a doctor, therapist or scientist. I cannot vouch for all the information given here. I can only share what I have found. Hopefully, you will find something of use to you.
Child Abuse Leaves Mark on the Brain
SCARS THAT WON’T HEAL: THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF CHILD ABUSE—By Martin H. Teicher Author bio: Martin Teicher, MD, PHD
Child Abuse: Permanent Effects on the Brain? by Dr. Richard Moskovitz
The Neurological Basis for the Theory of Recovered Memory by Neil Brick
Recovered Memories by Child Abuse Wiki
How Our Brains Work to Erase Bad Memories By Meghan Holohan
Embattled Childhoods May Be the Real Trauma for Soldiers With PTSD
Genes and Immune System Shaped by Childhood Poverty, Stress
Bullying by Childhood Peers Leaves a Trace That Can Change the Expression of a Gene Linked to Mood
Factors underlying variable DNA methylation in a human community cohort
The Role of Neuron Creation in Anxiety Disorders
Traumatic stress: effects on the brain by J. Douglas Bremner, MD
Childhood Trauma Leaves Lasting Marks on the Brain by Kayt Sukel
Brain Development During Childhood and Adolescence (Fact Sheet) by NIMH
How Trauma Affects a Child’s Brain by Ruth Buczynski, PHD
Effect on Brain Development by Office of Population Affairs
How Trauma Affects Learning, Memory and Attention by Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch
Emotional and Psychological Trauma by Helpguide.org
New report finds that effects of child abuse and neglect, if untreated, can last a lifetime By Brigid Schulte
Childhood Maltreatment Can Leave Scars In The Brain by Jon Hamilton
Developmental trauma, complex PTSD, and the current proposal of DSM-5 by Vedat Sar
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder by Wikipedia
Reconceptualizing Child Traumatic Stress in Child Welfare by Ally Jamieson, MSW
Part Four: From care to where? Early brain development susceptible to neglect, abuse – Emotional, physical trauma in childhood can cause delays in brain maturation, say experts by Tracy Sherlock, Vancouver Sun
The Leadership Council is a whole site dedicated to sharing information and helping those who have been traumatized and/or abused. They cover all aspects of the effects of abuse and trauma, including when these people hit the legal system.
And here is an article that goes into some history, as well as current things going on. While not “therapeutic” in nature, it does give some understanding of how trauma is manipulated to get a result. Disinformation and DID: the Politics of Memory by Brian Moss, MA, MFT
The link for the “Scars that won’t heal…” by Martin leads to a website which says the domain name is for sale.
Thank you. I fixed it. 🙂
MnHL: very sad indeed. Let’s hope nothing bad happen to them. Eugene: I notice that most parents in rural areas couldn’t care less about their children. Daddy: That’s true. Thanks for dropping by. Alice Phua: Sad to say, they didn’t think further.
I have not been on this blog for awhile and just now saw this. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Your resource list is very thorough; you’ve motivated me to update mine as well.
I’ve enjoyed browsing your blog; you have so many great articles and your readers are very wise, too.
Nice to ‘meet’ you here.
I am glad to be of help. I don’t reach a lot of people, but I am OK with that. If I can make some kind of positive change in my little corner of the world…if I can help even one person…then it is worth it. 🙂
Nice to “meet” you, too!
1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299467247_The_Impact_of_PTSD_on_Refugee_Language_Learners
2. http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-inclusion-strategies/66806-how-trauma-affects-learning-memory-and-attention/
3. https://traumasensitiveschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Helping-Traumatized-Children-Learn.pdf
4. https://traumasensitiveschools.org/trauma-and-learning/the-problem-impact/
5. http://blog.teslontario.org/ptsd-second-language-learning-alternative-pedagogy/
6. http://www.nctsn.org/resources/audiences/school-personnel/effects-of-trauma
7. http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/complex-trauma/effects-of-complex-trauma
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3089672/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402358/ (check references)
10. http://www.practicenotes.org/v17n2/brain.htm
11. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_silent_epidemic_in_our_classrooms
12. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/teaching-traumatized-kids/490214/
13. https://traumasensitiveschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Helping-Traumatized-Children-Learn.pdf
14. https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/8-ways-support-students-who-experience-trauma
15. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/helping-students-who-experienced-trauma-alex-shevrin
16. http://www.nctsn.org/resources/audiences/school-personnel/trauma-toolkit
17. http://www.nctsn.org/resources/audiences/school-personnel/effects-of-trauma
18. http://www.elc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Trauma-Informed-in-Schools-Classrooms-FINAL-December2014-2.pdf
19. https://wmich.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/u57/2013/child-trauma-toolkit.pdf
20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3287974/
21. https://traumasensitiveschools.org/
22. https://asurvivorsthoughtsonlife.wordpress.com/abuse-and-the-brain/ (go down to see all links)
23. http://www.empowher.com/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/content/effects-trauma-and-stress-brain
24. https://www.ncb.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/NI_docs/resource%20list_0.pdf
25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2366105/
26. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181836/
27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2977921/
28. http://www.unhcr.org/556725e69.pdf
29. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309623363_Post-Traumatic_Stress_Disorder_The_Importance_of_Apoptosis
30. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1011138332712
31. http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/media/users/ggg5/Working_Paper_02-13.pdf
32. http://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B084.aspx
33. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5054/tq.2010.232338/epdf
34. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/12/14/the-brain-science-behind-student-trauma.html
35. http://www.childhoodtrauma.org.au/2016/september/how-trauma-hijacks-learning
36. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/12/when-grit-isnt-enough/418269/?utm_source=fbb
37. http://stella.catalogue.tcd.ie/iii/encore/record/C__Rb15408780__SThe%20Body%20Remembers:%20The%20Psychophysiology%20of%20Trauma%20and%20Trauma%20Treatment%20__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=eng&suite=cobalt&loginReason=doDefault
38. http://books.wwnorton.com/books/The-Body-Remembers/
39. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12136501
40. https://www.google.ie/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1NHXL_enIE740&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=what+happens+in+children's+brains+during+trauma
41. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283753247_Cognitive_assessment_of_refugee_children_Effects_of_trauma_and_new_language_acquisition
42. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673611600512
43. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856709611254
44. http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/amp/50/9/782/
45. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002713809602600
46. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1993.tb02092.x/abstract
47. https://books.google.ie/books?hl=en&lr=&id=bEBi_boGsYgC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=effect+of+war+trauma+on+child+language+learning&ots=Ft0rgBl6fS&sig=WSQS5dsde6Mu42nk4Y6_axnUq9s&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=effect%20of%20war%20trauma%20on%20child%20language%20learning&f=false
48. https://www.google.ie/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1NHXL_enIE740&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=what+happens+in+children's+brains+during+trauma
49. https://www.google.ie/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1NHXL_enIE740&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ethnography:+chidlren+learn+L2+
50. https://www.google.ie/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1NHXL_enIE740&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=special+education+needs+for+L2+learners
51. https://www.thoughtco.com/repair-speech-1692044
52. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15292630?log$=activity
53. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15457106
54. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19658072
55. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14512209
56. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10553030
57. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12635561
58. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16697695
59. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=d5bb50b6-1e41-49e1-9539-41b981efd558%40sessionmgr4010&vid=0&hid=4213&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=14460517&db=edo
Thank you for all these links! I just now saw this. Obviously, I have not been on this blog for awhile.