When people have trouble paying attention, when they’re too emotional, or reactionary, or downright aggressive, what can we do to help them turn it around? Perhaps too often, these behaviors are addressed with medication for ADHD or bipolar disorder. But according to Bessel van der Kolk, MD, the problem (and the solution) may lie in […]
Old Before Their Time: The Effect of PTSD on Children’s Telomeres
How does trauma affect the brain? Well, one way we can look at that is to look at how trauma affects telomeres, which are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that keep them from deteriorating. As we age, telomeres naturally get shorter and eventually, die. So they make a great marker of cell aging […]
Coping with Childhood Trauma: A Strategy for Overcoming Increased Risk for HIV
Why is it that 33% to 53% of HIV-infected people have histories of childhood sexual abuse? Many symptoms commonly found among survivors of childhood sexual abuse, such as helplessness, low self-esteem, dissociation, denial, and self-destructiveness are also often seen in conjunction with HIV risk behavior. Studies show that childhood sexual abuse is associated with avoidant […]
Resistance to PTSD: Could It Be in Your DNA?
Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD. So what might be boosting the resilience of the folks who experience trauma and don’t suffer from PTSD? According to Israel Liberzon, MD, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, genetic factors might play a role. When combined with trauma in early childhood, a tiny DNA change (or […]
Coping with trauma: Overcoming the strategy that could be worsening symptoms
Why is it that 33% to 53% of HIV-infected people have histories of childhood sexual abuse? Just take a look at the symptoms of childhood sexual abuse – helplessness, low self-esteem, dissociation, denial, self-destructiveness . . . these psychological difficulties that can result from childhood sexual abuse are often related to HIV risk behavior. Studies […]