Stefan Molyneaux explains how the neurobiology of the brain is adversely affected by childhood abuse, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and even having an insecure attachment to one's mother. There is a clear correlation and an actual biological cause and effect between early trauma and behavior later in life.
The Amygdala (Fear Center) may be overreactive while the prefrontal cortex (executive center, decision making, morals, sense of self) is underdeveloped.
Interesting that ACEs overstimulate the amygdala- the Fear Center of the brain. One of the common characteristics of adult children of alcoholics is fear of authority. In experiments, when the amygdala was stimulated with an electrical current, the subjects reported a sense of being reprimanded by an authority.
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Note the close parallels between other effects of abuse and ACA behavior including:
Difficulty regulating emotion (over-react to changes over which they have no control)
Lack of cause and effect thinking (lock themselves into a course of action without giving serious consideration to alternate behaviors or possible consequences)
Inability to articulate our own emotions (we learned to keep our feelings down as children and kept them buried as adults)
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Stressful, traumatizing experiences cause chronic elevated levels of neuroendocrine hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause damage leading to difficulty learning, memory impairment, depression, insomnia, PTSD and ADD. In more severe cases it can increase the risk of criminal behavior.
The good news is that effective psychotherapy can help. Relapse for MDD (major depressive disorder) was 76% for those treated with antidepressant medication vs. just 31% for those who received therapy.
Physical exercise can also have a very beneficial effect on memory, cognition and improves learning and intelligence scores. Exercise acts as an antidepressant and slows the decline of memory and brain atrophy in aging humans.
The ACE Study is an ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente. Led by Co-principal Investigators Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, and Vincent J. Felitti, MD.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
The Ace Study Revealed
The ACE Study is perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind, analyzing the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma and health and behavioral outcomes later in life. Beginning in 1992, over 17,000 people participated in this comprehensive, ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente.
An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) is defined as "physical abuse, emotional abuse or sexual abuse" before the age of 18. It also includes growing up experiencing;
-an alcohol and/or drug abuser in the household
-an incarcerated household member
-living with someone who is chronically depressed, mentally ill, institutionalized, or suicidal
-mother is treated violently
-having one or no parents
-emotional or physical neglect
The ACE definition so closely matches the one for Adult Children Of Alcoholics, they are practically synonymous.
The majority of people have at least one ACE.
All of these lead to trauma and whether the abuse was physical in nature or not, actually cause physical changes to a developing child's brain including abnormal development of the cortex. The amygdala of insecurely attached children are hyperactive and larger than those of securely attached children. They have a greater surging of cortisol and adrenaline (fight or flight response). Plus their prefrontal cortexes are smaller and so they are less able to control their fear and anger.
Unresolved ACEs can effect the health and behavior of the victim for decades and and even shorten their lifespan up to twenty years. The more types of ACEs you were exposed to, the more likely you will have resulting issues such as depression, addiction, heart disease, obesity and cancer later in life. People who have experienced 4 or more categories of ACEs are 4 to 12 times more likely to experience depression, drug abuse, alcoholism and suicide attempts than a person who has not experienced any. You can calculate your personal ACE score here: http://acestudy.org/
An introduction to The ACE Study:
Source: http://youtu.be/yT4tzwH_K8M
Essayist, author, and host of the Freedomain Radio Podcasts, Stefan Molyneux, believes that therapy with a good counselor can help reverse the effects of ACEs and lead to a healthier, happier life. In Part 1, Molyneux explains the correlation between childhood trauma and it's negative effects later in life:
Source: http://youtu.be/gbiq2-ukfhM
Part 2 features an interview with one of the leaders of the ACE study, Vincent J. Felitti, MD:
Source: http://youtu.be/NRaNwIdrKuc
This eye opening information points to the cause of many common problems and dysfunctions. The more this material is discovered and acknowledged, the better chance for understanding the cause, effectively treating it and stopping the cycle.
The ACE Study is an ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente. Led by Co-principal Investigators Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, and Vincent J. Felitti, MD.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) is defined as "physical abuse, emotional abuse or sexual abuse" before the age of 18. It also includes growing up experiencing;
-an alcohol and/or drug abuser in the household
-an incarcerated household member
-living with someone who is chronically depressed, mentally ill, institutionalized, or suicidal
-mother is treated violently
-having one or no parents
-emotional or physical neglect
The ACE definition so closely matches the one for Adult Children Of Alcoholics, they are practically synonymous.
All of these lead to trauma and whether the abuse was physical in nature or not, actually cause physical changes to a developing child's brain including abnormal development of the cortex. The amygdala of insecurely attached children are hyperactive and larger than those of securely attached children. They have a greater surging of cortisol and adrenaline (fight or flight response). Plus their prefrontal cortexes are smaller and so they are less able to control their fear and anger.
Unresolved ACEs can effect the health and behavior of the victim for decades and and even shorten their lifespan up to twenty years. The more types of ACEs you were exposed to, the more likely you will have resulting issues such as depression, addiction, heart disease, obesity and cancer later in life. People who have experienced 4 or more categories of ACEs are 4 to 12 times more likely to experience depression, drug abuse, alcoholism and suicide attempts than a person who has not experienced any. You can calculate your personal ACE score here: http://acestudy.org/
An introduction to The ACE Study:
Source: http://youtu.be/yT4tzwH_K8M
Essayist, author, and host of the Freedomain Radio Podcasts, Stefan Molyneux, believes that therapy with a good counselor can help reverse the effects of ACEs and lead to a healthier, happier life. In Part 1, Molyneux explains the correlation between childhood trauma and it's negative effects later in life:
Source: http://youtu.be/gbiq2-ukfhM
Part 2 features an interview with one of the leaders of the ACE study, Vincent J. Felitti, MD:
Source: http://youtu.be/NRaNwIdrKuc
This eye opening information points to the cause of many common problems and dysfunctions. The more this material is discovered and acknowledged, the better chance for understanding the cause, effectively treating it and stopping the cycle.
The ACE Study is an ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente. Led by Co-principal Investigators Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, and Vincent J. Felitti, MD.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Meditation, Music And Stress Relief
Free Download: Native American Flute Lullabies
Meditation relieves stress as does music. Here's a whole album of chilled out grooves to download for FREE and relax to. Features ethereal flutes, guitars and nature sounds.
Click here for the free download: Native American Flute Lullabies
Happy Listening!
May only be available for a limited time.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Meditation relieves stress as does music. Here's a whole album of chilled out grooves to download for FREE and relax to. Features ethereal flutes, guitars and nature sounds.
Click here for the free download: Native American Flute Lullabies
Happy Listening!
May only be available for a limited time.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
High Correlation Between ACAs And Nurses
According to GettingThemSober.com:
46% of American households have alcoholism.
Wow, almost HALF by their count.
75-80% of helping professionals in the U.S. under the age of 55 are adult children of alcoholics and 60% of physicians (who are U.S.-born) under the age of 55 are first-born children of alcoholics.
83% of nurses are adult children of alcoholics.
This is a staggeringly high number! Helps explain the stats that follow...
The American Nurses Association states that 20% of nurses have 'substance abuse issues' with an an estimated 40,000 nurses in the U.S. experiencing alcoholism. Binge drinking was highest among oncology, emergency, and critical care nurses.
Odds of marijuana use are 3.5 times higher among emergency nurses. Pediatric and emergency nurses reported a higher use of cocaine than other specialties. Oncology nurses reported the highest overall drug use – for all substances combined.
Looks like growing up in an environment of substance abuse combined with having a genetic predisposition to it, is taking it's toll here. Nursing has traditionally been a profession known for compassion and empathy. Looks like nurses (and doctors) could use a bit of this medicine themselves.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Janet Woititz Speaks
Dr. Janet Woititz was one of the founders of the ACA movement. She wrote many popular books on adult children of alcoholics and was a tireless proponent for recovery.
The following are sample archival videos of a presentation she gave on ACA behavior, low self esteem and how to build it up:
#3
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
The following are sample archival videos of a presentation she gave on ACA behavior, low self esteem and how to build it up:
#3
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
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