07/02/2024
From the article linked below:
♥️ 💉💊🍺🥃🍷❤️🩹⚕️
“I’m writing this for everyone who minimizes their pain, who doesn’t think it’s deserving of attention, who says, “I was spanked, and I turned out all right,” “I came from a good home,” “I don’t dwell on the past,” or “I didn’t have it so bad.” To you, I say: sixty years is a long time to go without the ability to experience happiness. If you see yourself in my story, I hope you find a professional or peer who can help you get to the real cause of your addiction and depression, rage and perfectionism, loneliness and codependency, because these things don’t exist in a vacuum, and if left untreated (or perhaps I should say unexamined), they will not just compromise your quality of life but shorten your life expectancy by decades.”
I wanted to share the article linked below, posted just a couple of days ago that perfectly captures the essence of the Compassionate Inquiry program, developed by Dr. Gabor Maté, a trauma and addiction expert. This year-long training delves deep into understanding and healing pain. The article also highlights the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) study, a landmark study that transformed the landscape of healthcare.
This article is a compelling read for anyone who has experienced a sense of disconnection from themselves or knows someone grappling with painful void of addiction, often rooted in trauma. The Children's Mental Health Network (CMHN) aptly describes trauma as the "gateway drug" leading individuals toward addiction.
Childhood trauma is disconcertingly prevalent in the United States, with 64% of adults having encountered at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), and nearly 1 in 6 (17.3%) have indicated that they have encountered four or more types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACES are stressful experiences that can have far-reaching impacts on a child's life.
According to the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study, there are three general categories of ACEs:
•Exposure to abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual)
•Household challenges (e.g., divorce, mental illness, substance abuse)
•Neglect (emotional or physical)
Research has shown that children who have dealt with one or more ACEs in their early childhood may be more at risk for developing chronic health conditions as adults.
The potential impact of preventing ACEs is substantial, as it could reduce various health conditions. For instance, by averting ACEs, it’s estimated that up to 1.9 million cases of heart disease and 21 million cases of depression could potentially have been avoided, according to the Center for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in his book ‘The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma,’ emphasizes that “…child abuse and neglect are the single most preventable cause of mental illness, the single most common cause of drug and alcohol abuse, and a significant contributor to leading causes of death such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and suicide.” Our body serves as a reservoir of painful experiences, reflecting the profound connection between our mind and body in the journey of healing from trauma.
❤️🩹🧠🫁👁️🫀🗣️🩵
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html
You can assess the ACE test provided below:
ACE test
https://americanspcc.org/take-the-aces-quiz/
“The attempt to escape from pain is what creates more pain.” — Dr. Gabor
https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/06/wish-asked-dr-gabor-mate/?mc_cid=db00d5151a&mc_eid=f33e5680ed&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2nvw-NtUbhDrsGZYcQEqWyr80ZJeMzLgBHvzmzd6hdL0FhnpJj8C405g8_aem_JLn6KWrQJ_kCbXPQKbIQQw
Does my complex PTSD, depression and rage go back farther than I think? Back to the womb and my earliest days of life? Is that even possible? Does my complex PTSD, depression and rage go back farther than I think? Back to the womb and my earliest days of life? Is that even possible?
