Chronic illness has become an epidemic, resulting in millions living less-than-productive lives either on medical disability or off. What’s worse, modern medicine doesn’t seem to be able to do more for these patients other than prescribe drugs or surgery that suppress symptoms.
This is incredibly unfortunate. Not only do pain-relieving drugs like narcotics and corticosteroids breed dependency, they also cause troubling side effects that are often worse than the illness.
Recently, new research has emerged to suggest that there is one fundamental factor in the development of every chronic disease from fibromyalgia to cancer; and that link is childhood trauma.
The Definition of Childhood Trauma
It may seem that the definition of childhood trauma is self-explanatory. If a child is severely beaten or sexually abused systematically throughout their childhood, they’ve been traumatized.
However, it can be quite easy to overlook incidents of verbal abuse or neglect because, at the time, the child may have had no frame of reference for what normal behavior looked like. The adult may not be aware of this either.
The sudden death of a loved one, a house fire, a burglary, a weather disaster or similar event are also types of childhood trauma that can have a significant impact on the health of the adult survivor.
Even when direct abuse is not inflicted upon the child, mental illness and substance abuse on the part of the adult caregiver can also have a traumatizing effect.
How Childhood Trauma Impacts the Adult Body and Mind
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study asks ten questions about the childhood experience of those with chronic illness. The higher your ACE score, the more likely you will struggle with at least one chronic and difficult-to-treat condition.
Ironically, the type of illness can sometimes match the abuse experienced. It’s as though the body tells a story of what occurred even if the survivor is unable to express it in words.
Let’s take a look at the most common conditions that affect adult survivors of childhood trauma:
1) Compromised Immune System
One of the most common conditions affecting adult survivors is autoimmune disease. This occurs when the immune system stops recognizing its own healthy tissues and begins to attack them as foreign invaders.
Conditions such as type I diabetes, crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and lupus are often linked to childhood trauma. It’s as though the body is actually rejecting itself due to the “message” of rejection received during formative years.
Clinically, multiple studies have revealed that chronic stress and trauma both deplete and alter the healthy bacteria in the gut, resulting in a malfunctioning immune system.
2) Allergies & Asthma
According to a study published by The Immunological Allergy Clinic of North America, children born to high-stress mothers are at increased risk for allergies and asthma. Even stress experienced before birth can result in the endocrine and immune abnormalities that set the child up for a lifetime of food and/or environmental allergies.
If trauma continues during the formative years, food allergies, eczema, hives, and hay fever could literally be translated into an allergy to the environment. It’s as though the body says, “This environment is not safe. I must reject it.”
3) Cardiovascular Health Problems
According to a comprehensive article published by Frontiers in Psychology, one of the more common conditions experienced by adult survivors of child trauma is cardiovascular disease. The Journal of Hypertension investigated this phenomenon more thoroughly with their own study based on ACE scores.
For the study, 221 healthy adolescents and adults were measured for blood pressure, heart output of blood, and endothelin-1, a protein that constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure.
Participants who had at least one traumatic event in childhood had plasma endothelin-1 levels were, on average, 18 percent higher than those who reported experiencing no trauma. Those who had two or more traumatic events in childhood had a 24 percent increase in endothelin-1 levels.
The higher the endothelin-1 levels, the higher the risk for cardiovascular problems.
Looked at from a philosophical perspective, it may be said that those who experienced childhood trauma have a broken heart.
4) Mental Health Problems
Multiple studies have revealed that trauma experienced in childhood greatly increases the risk for the development of depression, anxiety, phobias, paranoia, and psychosis.
If a child is in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight, the brain becomes “geared up” for battle or flight all the time, even when the immediate moment presents no danger. These coping mechanisms follow the child into adulthood, where, instead of providing protection, prevents healthy, appropriate responses to the outside world.
The “chemical imbalances” of mental illness don’t occur randomly but as a result of outside influence, which “taught” the brain and body that the world at large was backwards, upside down, and dangerous.
5) Developmental Abnormalities
Developmental abnormalities can result in difficulties with social interaction and cause the symptoms of emotional immaturity. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur in children who have experienced one or more blows to the head.
Adults with traumatic brain injury can have difficulty with coordination, social interaction, learning, memory, and impulse control. This condition can often mimic neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism or mental health problems like bipolar disorder.
A saccadometer test eye test and/or MRI can help diagnose traumatic brain injury.
Natural Options for Healing Past Trauma
In order to truly heal chronic illness, it is important to take the time to heal past trauma. Medications for mental illness only suppress symptoms and often create new ones. There are more effective ways to heal past trauma so true recovery can be experienced.
1) Journaling
Writing in a private journal about your past traumas can be a very healing experience. It can be your first step in uncovering the experiences that lead to the development of your illness
2) Individual Counseling
Individual counseling with a therapist who does not immediately suggest prescription drug therapy can help you to open up about your traumatic experiences in a safe, comfortable place without the stigma of labels.
3) Group Counseling
Connecting with those who have experienced similar traumas can help give you a sense of community.
4) Homeopathy
Homeopathy operates on the principle of ‘like treats like’, using minute amounts of concentrated medicine to treat specific body systems. A study published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation revealed that homeopathy seems to be effective in treating the symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury. Seek out a qualified homeopath to get started.
5) Spiritual Work
Spiritual pursuits such as meditation, yoga, and Reiki have been shown to be very therapeutic in the treatment of chronic disease and childhood trauma.
If you’re living with chronic illness, you now have a new avenue to explore in the natural treatment of it. Don’t let medical professionals tell you that you have no choice but to live with the pain and be dependent on prescription drugs.
This is one of my favorite quotes and it’s dedicated to you:
“Your body’s ability to heal is greater than anyone has permitted you to believe.”
*****Recommended Research*****
Overcoming Childhood Trauma That’s Hurting Your Adult Life
Do you suffer from childhood trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic attacks, or phobias?
If so you’re not alone. Conventional medicines ways of handling this usually involves expensive therapy sessions and mind altering pharmaceutical drugs. While therapy can be helpful, the prescribed drugs have some dangerous side effects.
Just recently I discovered a resource to help people suffering from these afflictions. The best part, you can start treating yourself and getting relief in the comfort of your own home.
In this program created by bestselling author Dr. Robert Mantell he will show you how to overcome trauma, PTSD, and anxiety in as little as 7 days.
You don’t have to continue to suffer. Plus this can greatly improve your mental and physical health.
Check out, How to Free Yourself from Trauma, Phobias, and Anxiety in 7 Days or Less.
Regards,
Jessica Coffey
Publisher – Health Scams Exposed
Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3153850/
http://www.nicabm.com/trauma-and-chronic-disease/1/confirmed/
http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/early/2014/04/28/HYPERTENSIONAHA.113.02755.abstract?sid=f71729fe-fb5f-44a6-8f1b-c8605e75f5ce
http://legacy.oise.utoronto.ca/research/brainwaves/phpwebsite/files/uplink/Heim_%26_Nemeroff_2001_trauma_anxiety.pdf
http://journals.lww.com/headtraumarehab/Abstract/1999/12000/Homeopathic_Treatment_of_Mild_Traumatic-Brain.2.aspx
http://acestudy.org/
http://www.dyingtoliveamy.com/
