Imagining people with severe life challenges does not take substantial effort. It is likely that any individual knows a person who is psychologically, physically, or financially challenged. Children of many families have to cope with mentally distraught parents. However, in many such cases, the reality is that parents behave in this way due to a deep psychological trauma experienced in childhood. Child abuse may be the origin of such a traumatic response, which continues to reverberate into adulthood. Altogether, fear of intimacy, harmful life habits, and the absence of desire to have children prevent child abuse survivors from living fulfilling lives.
Although I was not a victim of child abuse, I have acquaintances that shared their experiences with me. One such person is my friend, who has difficulties committing to relationships and even starting them. It took years for her to feel comfortable enough to talk about the emotional challenges. Although her genuine desire to find a person she can become attached to, she cannot trust them. It was difficult to comprehend but the overall impression was that an invisible obstacle was preventing her from making an essential step of opening herself up.
It was not clear until she finally disclosed the reason for her apprehension. She told me about the sexual assault that she experienced as a child. It became apparent that she had developed a fear that prevented her from engaging in any form of intimacy. Not only did she feel agitated when her dating partner tried to touch her, but she also felt extremely uncomfortable talking about herself. I knew the person she was dating, and I was sure that he would not do anything disrespectful. The only reason they could not advance in their relationship was that the childhood trauma was too strong.
However, there are other aspects of her life that signified her psychological barriers. First, she was addicted to alcohol, which she consumed beyond reason. Virtually none of our meetings would transpire without her drinking a beverage that would give her high. Second, she was so irrationally averse to the idea of having children that I knew immediately that it would be a contentious point in her future relationships. Once I became aware of her traumatic experience, I realized how complicated her life is. Child abuse did not only damage her present experiences, but it also negatively affected her future.
Naturally, I could not help but deeply sympathize with her. Even though she sought a normal life, she could not achieve it on her own. It forced me to consider exploring therapy. Sexual abuse is a recurring theme in psychiatry, and it is reasonable to suggest that there are ways of managing the consequences (Bauch). However, most of the research focuses on what abuse survivors themselves can do. I would be interested in researching what people close to them can do to help.
Altogether, it should be evident that child abuse has a negative impact on the well-being of both victims and those close to them. My friend’s example signifies that trauma prevents survivors from establishing meaningful relationships. It forces them into unhealthy habits, such as alcohol overuse, and beliefs, such as an antichildren mentality. Exploring therapeutic approaches can help friends and family of child abuse survivors alleviate their condition.
Work Cited
Bauch, Judith, et al. “Multisystemic therapy for child abuse and neglect: Parental stress and parental mental health as predictors of change in child neglect.” Child Abuse & Neglect, vol. 126, 2022, pp. 1-11.