Think again if you thought you were having a bad day!

Some days seems just like this… every way you turn, someone or something seems to be holding you back. It’s probably quite rare that the ginger cat pictured here, is happening to you. We are usually the only ‘thing’ that is holding us back from achieving our dreams, from being contented and happy, from having good relationships. I wondered is this always true?

I was reading an article about childhood abuse and the effects it has on adults. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional or financial, and if we’ve experienced it in any way as children, we are likely to accept it from others as we grow up. It causes low self esteem, poor self-image, troubles with relationships, and commonly, a deep sense of isolation.

It can effect your mental health, your physical health, you ability to learn as a child. It can cause anxiety, grief and sadness, shame, self blame and guilt, a sense of alienation, and feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and powerlessness. Healing from child abuse can be a winding path, once described as a ‘spiral – a repeated traversing of the issues, layer by layer, piece by piece, sorting and resorting, until the toxicity of the abusive experiences has been released.’ (Baringer 1992).

We have all heard the saying ‘time heals all wounds’. This conjures up the notion that, once trauma is ‘overcome’, there will be greater levels of psychological, physical and emotional wellbeing. Experiencing signficant traumas in early years, such as child abuse, can certainly build character and resilience, but they can also create permanent biological, neurological and psychological compromise (Cozolino, 2002), and the effects of early and severe trauma are widespread, devastating and difficult to treat (Cozolino, 2002; Giarratano, 2004a).

All of my reading, and subsequent thinking has me wondering about the effect of childhood abuse on a person with dementia, especially when the abuse has not been treated effectively. Cognitive pathways are clearly intertwined with biological pathways. Social pathways link childhood abuse and its negative health outcomes through difficulties in establishing intimate relationships. Relationships are very important for people with dementia. It leaves me with so many questions…

If our memories revert back to those much earlier in our lives, what happens when we start to behave in the ways triggered by memories of childhood abuse, if we have experienced it?

Are the isolation, anxiety, grief and other things we feel with dementia, exacerbated by the compounding effect of grief from childhood trauma?

So many questions!

And how on earth this hilarious picture of two cats had me relating to childhood abuse, and the possible effects on a person with dementia is beyond my comprehension today! As always, there are so many topics we can explore in depth, so many ideas for a PhD if you want to apply for one!!

Ps. I’m sorry if the funny cats tricked you into reading on and expecting something more humourous today 😉