What Did Billy Do Right?

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Lucille

Billy Currington did something right! The country music star was on the cusp of major fame when he took a hiatus. He took 5 months off from his touring and performing in order to deal with childhood issues.

He spent 5 months doing the work surrounding his anger in regards to an alcoholic step-dad, and he focused on healing childhood wounds with a trauma therapist.

I appreciate the fact that Billy didn’t hide from this. By his being open and honest, he is using his platform to encourage others to do the same. Rather than healing in secret, Billy was open, and therefore supported by fans who encouraged him with their emails, letters and facebook posts.

In the news segment I saw, Billy looked very happy and very much at peace with himself.

To check out (a steamy) Billy on YouTube click here

Trauma is…

Posted on September 13, 2008 by Lucille

Trauma….

…is extreme stress plus horror. Children tend to experience fear differently from adults. They experience it as horror. For a child, even watching violence can be as traumatic as experiencing it.

…shatters the assumptional word of the survivor. The world is no longer safe.

…gets carried through the generations. Basal cortisol levels have been found in 3^rd generation Holocaust survivors. Unless they get help, trauma survivors unknowingly re-enact their trauma onto their children (“hurt people hurt people”).

…throws off the HPA axis. The HPA axis is the “set point” at which your body gives off stress chemicals. It involves three systems: immune, endocrine, and neurologic. That’s why stress can cause acne, infertility, auto-immune diseases, and so much more!

…is carried in procedural memory.

*Procedural or ”body memories” are learned sequences of coordinated ”motor acts” chained together into meaningful actions. You may not remember explicitly how and when you learned them, but, at the appropriate moment, they are ”recalled” and mobilized simultaneously.

That is why a traumatized person can know on a rational level that something is safe, and yet her mind and body respond in an un-rational way…as if the traumatic event is occurring at that moment.

A Rough Childhood is Sickening

Posted on September 13, 2008 by Lucille

I recently learned about an interesting study which investigated the link between childhood maltreatment and later-life health and well-being.

The study examined eight adverse life experiences:

1. emotional abuse

2. physical abuse

3. sexual abuse

4. battered mother

5. parental separation/or divorce

6. substance abusing mother

7. mentally ill mother

incarcerated household member

The study was a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Kaiser Permanente’s Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego.

Over 17,000 members chose to participate in the study, and over 30 scientific studies have been done using the information. Click Here to see the questionnaire.

RESULTS:

I was surprised to read that 1/3 of participants reported no ACEs! Since I work with trauma patients I get a tainted lens of the population. I need to remember that some people had fairly normal childhoods.

Almost 2/3 of participants reported at least one ACE, and more than one in five reported three or more ACEs.

Childhood abuse, neglect, and exposure to other traumatic stressors, termed adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with increases (in a strong and graded fashion) of:

Alcohol and alcohol abuse

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Depression

Fetal death

Health related quality of life

Illicit drug use

Ischemic heart disease (IHD)

Liver disease

Risk for intimate partner violence

Multiple sexual partners and therefore more sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

Smoking

Suicide attempts

Unintended pregnancies

In other words, if you had a lot of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) you are much more likely to have adverse behaviors and health risks.

I would encourage you not to let this study scare you. If you had a traumatic childhood there are plenty of things you can do to create a healthy life. Three of the best ones are creating joy in your life, practicing spirituality, and exercise.