The Psychological Effect of Sexual Abuse Victims
Name
Institution
Abstract
Findings from a wide range of studies successfully demonstrate how children’s exposure to sexual violence have both short-term and enduring psychological effects on their child development. Eagleman (2011) accentuates competing drives within the brain, simultaneously advocating for behavior that may be at opposition. And, this research indicates that the environment influences the expression of genes. Those so affected are much more likely to have anti-social behavior; however, that is not a requirement. Humans have a choice in how to behave. And once one gets in over their head, they generally need psychological or psychiatric counseling to establish a stable and functioning existence. Mental Trauma- Childhood is the formative phase in any individual’s life. The experiences that we have as children, good or bad, leave a lifelong impression on us and contribute to who we are as adults. History of sexual abuse as a child is thus bound to leave its mark. However, the earlier a child receives therapy after the event, the better chance of resolving some effects of the trauma. Mainly this depends on the environment in which it occurred and the level of sexual abuse. Some actions can be self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, self-cutting, promiscuous behavior, suicidal ideation, or actual attempts.
Keywords: Sexual Abuse, Physical Trauma, Psychological Effects, Psychological Counselling
The Psychological Effect of Sexual Abuse Victims
There is much professional literature on the subject of how childhood abuse affects cognition psychologically and physiologically. Those so affected are much more likely to have anti-social behavior; however, that is not a requirement. Humans have a choice in how to behave. And once one gets in over their head, they generally need psychological or psychiatric counseling to establish a stable and functioning existence. Mcgowan et al. and others have recently shown that children of abuse have a higher likelihood of committing suicide in adulthood than those who were not abused. Of course, many people are abused and do not take their lives.
A survivor of abuse (physical, sexual, or neglect) undergoes real changes in the brain. These changes can cause anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. If you are a person who suffered from child abuse, it is good to educate yourself about the effects of child abuse and keep an eye on it. Be careful seeing a therapist not experienced in child abuse as they could make your experience worse. There are two camps out on this. Please go over the violence to understand what happened and accept that it happened and not reinforce the old memory by recalling it. I know many people who have been abused and know they have but do not remember the memory. Alternatively, they map out the kind of person they want to be in their lives and do whatever it takes to be that person.
Physical trauma- Sexual abuse at any age is unforgivable. But more so in the case of children because their genitalia is yet developed. They are not prepared for sexual interaction of any sort. Sexual abuse in such instances can forever damage their reproductive tracts, leading to multiple chronic health conditions, including infertility.
Mental Trauma- Childhood is the formative phase in any individual’s life. The experiences that we have as children, good or bad, leave a lifelong impression on us and contribute to who we are as adults. History of sexual abuse as a child is thus bound to leave its mark. Paranoia, chronic depression, low self-esteem, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies are, therefore, collective are victims of sexual abuse as children.
Emotional and Social- Sex is one of the most fundamental means of connection between two human beings. The experience of sex is meant to be a pleasurable one, meant to express your love and trust. As such, one’s first sexual encounter is always a memorable one, and, to a certain extent, defines their future sexual encounters. Victims of sexual abuse as children are robbed of the joy of the “first time.” Their introduction to this otherwise beautiful phenomenon is marked with pain, fear, and confusion. Some of them are plagued with guilt, as they feel, and are sometimes made to think that it is somehow their fault, and they could somehow have prevented it. There is always a lingering sense of shame because they feel that they are somehow “different” from their peers, and fear being ridiculed. Serious trust issues develop, and social interactions can become very difficult. Sometimes, victims have been known even to change their sexual orientation as adults.
A simple example is someone who was abused and is suffering from depression. Instead of “reliving” the abuse by talking about it, they want to be the kind of person that exercises, eats healthy, and socializes. So every time the depression gets in the way of those things, they make an extra effort to accomplish exercising, eating well, and socializing. Perry also wrote that early trauma might predispose one to anti-social behavior based on the brain’s physiological alteration. However, he also wrote that anti-social behavior is a choice; anti-social behavior is the cumulative result of relatively minor decisions, such as who we associate with and the actions we engage in or avoid.
This parable is borne out by neuropsychological and epigenetics research. Eagleman (2011) accentuates competing drives within the brain, simultaneously advocating for behavior that may be at opposition. And, this research indicates that the environment influences the expression of genes. We have genetic predispositions (nature) toward certain behaviors that have been derived from evolutionary processes because those behaviors served a survival purpose. Whether or not those behaviors are realized is dependent upon epigenetic factors (nurture) that facilitate or inhibit those behaviors (Eagleman 2011).
Our conscious mind is tasked with programming the subconscious mind, meaning that habits can be altered and exemplified by the learning curve when taking on a new task. “Implicit memory systems are fundamentally separate from explicit memory systems (conscious): even when the second one has lost the data, the former one has a lock on it” (Eagleman 2011). We operate most efficiently when relaxed and functioning on “autopilot,” our subconscious mind. At first, it is difficult, “muscle memory” is formed that makes the task more comfortable because the need for conscious thought is reduced.
I am not sure one “recovers” from any trauma in life, but instead has learned to survive it. The amount of effect it has on the individual depends on the age of the victim. Was it the first event, or did it last throughout his or her childhood? Who facilitated the violence? Was it a household fellow that was a parent, grandfather, uncle, or sibling? Was the victim able to tell someone? Was the damage reported? Was the sufferer believed by the family members and protected or was told he? You see, several variables are involved in the “recovering” from sexual abuse, and each situation is unique.
The sooner a child receives therapy after the event has occurred, the better chance of resolving some or most of the effects of the trauma. Mainly this depends on the environment in which it occurred and the level of sexual abuse. Some of these defenses are compartmentalizing denial and dissociation. Some of the actions can be self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, self-cutting, promiscuous behavior, suicidal ideation, or actual attempts. The adult can have deep depression with little self-esteem, P.T.S.D., eating disorders, anxiety, relationship difficulties, to name a few.
References:
Eagleman, D. (2011). Incognito: The secret lives of the brain. New York: Pantheon.Dr. David Eagleman, directed the Laboratory for Perception and Action and the Initiative on Neuroscience and Law, Baylor College of Medicine, is a Guggenheim Fellow and headed the Eagleman Laboratory for Perception and Action at Stanford Univ.
Perry, B., & Szalavitz, M. (2006). The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist’s Notebook –What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing. Bruce Perry, MD, Ph.D. (Senior Fellow, The Child Trauma Academy; FBI consultant; former Chief of Psychiatry, Texas Children’s Hospital; former Vice-Chair for Research, Dept. of Psychiatry Baylor Col. of Medicine), with Maia Szalavitz.
Hinch, B. T. (2014, August 28). Adult implications of childhood maltreatment. Psychiatric Times. Retrieved from: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/special-reports/adult-implications-childhood-maltreatment