CBC, a news reporting site in Canada writes, “Childhood trauma raises the risk of everything from diabetes to lung cancer to heart disease. Those who endured a high level of trauma in their youth have an average life expectancy 20 years lower than those who didn’t.” Trauma in childhood creates a higher likelihood for developing a physical illness as well as developing a mental illness. Healing trauma is complicated because it can be multidimensional and live inside the mind, as well as the body which could make treating other illnesses, of mind or body, also complicated. The correlation between childhood trauma and adulthood physical health problems is so significant that some doctors are suggesting that an evaluation of childhood experiences, specifically trauma, should be taken into consideration. Family history may include as much of medical conditions which have affected family members as family conditions which have affected you.
Health risks for those who have childhood experiences of trauma worsen because of the adult’s difficulty in taking care of themselves. Learning to trust doctors, be physically examined, keep appointments, and focus on prescribed treatments can all be a challenge. Trauma can affect building trust, which is essential for a patient-doctor relationship. Asking for help after being forced into helpless situations, of any kind, is also a challenge. Trauma can ingrain lessons and beliefs about not being worthy, not deserving kindness, and other blockages to receiving care.
According to the article, doctors are suggesting that patients who show an aversion of certain kinds of treatments which might be necessary, should work with a psychiatrist or psychologist. Doctors are increasingly being transformed into mental health aware practitioners. Though medical doctors are not psychological doctors, the bridge between the two practices is strongly being built. Mental health does affect physical health and vice versa. Treatment for trauma, substance use disorders, and other mental health disorders are largely taking a holistic approach to treatment for this reason. The holistic approach takes all areas of health into consideration, for mind, body, and spirit.
Coping with trauma can take years of healing. Trauma-specialized treatment does exist. Spending a few weeks to a few months in a trauma-healing intensive program can be a life changing, as well as a life saving experience. Hired Power is here to help start you on your journey to healing. We want you to feel empowered to focus on healing your mind, body, and spirit from the long lasting effects of trauma as we take care of the details in between. For information on our recovery planning services, call us today at 800-910-9299.