The Long Term Effects of Child Abuse
People don’t often understand the long term effects, a victim of child abuse suffer from as they enter adulthood. Being a victim of child abuse, is not something a person outgrow or something that will just fade away, especially when some abuse goes on for years and went unknown. So many children live in abuse that is unreported for many reasons. Even with reported cases a victim lives with the mental effects that was caused by the abuse.
Quite often a victim of abuse enter their adult years with mental illness.
Some mental illnesses are more severe than others. Depression, anxiety, suicide, self hate, low self esteem, ptsd, dissociative disorder,are some examples of the mental illnesses that follow abuse. Often the mental illnesses may lead to more serious effects like anger, rage or drug addiction.
Often society has judged mental illness and drug addiction, not knowing how ones past was. These judgments may only cause the mental illness to get worse and become a danger. Mental illness and drug addiction is not a choice like society often sees it to be.
I myself a survivor of child abuse suffered many years of mental illness. I lived with agoraphobia, depression and panic disorders. I was suicidal in my past. I was judged where my self blame only grew worse.
We have to keep reaching out to victims of abuse and help them become survivors. Let them know they don’t have to fight their past alone. Show them people do care and are willing to help them.
We cannot let street drug addiction keep killing young people today. We have to put the suicidal rates of young adults and children down. Its time to stand up and be their voices . Reach out and help change a life.