The Truth Behind Child Abuse

Child abuse is a serious problem that can have a lasting impact. It affects children in an unimaginable way that somehow scars not just their physical state but also their emotional and psychological well-being. It is hard to think that even to this day, there are countless children who are experiencing this.

Children view adults as their protector and mentor. When adults could not do this and hurt them instead, they feel that they cannot do anything. They just have to endure the pain and neglect because they are just children.

What is child abuse?

Child abuse happens when a child is neglected, threatened, and mistreated by adults. It is not solely directed to physical abuse. Verbal, emotional, psychological, and sexual acts constitute child abuse. It can happen at home or in school where the child feels powerless over adults. This is why there are still so many unreported cases because it is not easily detected.

The most common form of maltreatment to children is neglect. Children are deprived of their basic needs like food, shelter, and the sense of security.

Adults who are entrusted to look after the welfare of the children are, most of the time, the perpetrator of the abuse. They could be the parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, teachers, and sports coaches. These are the people whom the child felt safe with, and they trusted.

United States has an alarming data on child abuse. In 2019, there were 656,243 reported cases of child abuse. Every ten seconds there is a reported case of child abuse.  Many of these child abuse cases took place in schools. With distance learning now, it seems to have dropped, but it does not mean that it has stopped. It is just harder for teachers to monitor every move of their students. 

What are the negative effects of child abuse?

Children who have been abused at home, in school or in the neighborhood are more afraid to expose the truth to other adults. They have lost confidence that adults can protect them. Many of them choose to stay silent and put up with a brave face so that no one will know. Eventually, the trauma keeps up until they grow into adults.

Therapists and psychologists acknowledge the fact that adults who have experienced child abuse are more susceptible to having health issues. Children who have been abused before the age of five years old are more inclined to suffer negative health issues during adolescents.

There are studies that show adults who suffered child abuse continue to feel depressed and anxious of the trauma. They look fine and happy but deep down they are trying to silently forget the abuse that is why they succumb to substance abuse, eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, learning disabilities and low self-esteem.

Some adults who have been abused multiple times are said to have impulsive behavior. They want to harm themselves and disconnect with the people around them. It is a challenge for them to keep their lives together and maintain a healthy relationship with family, friends, and other people.

Where to ask for help?

Asking for help should be the first thing to do by the victims. However, they feel ashamed of telling someone what has transpired. Others feel scared to open up to someone because they may be blamed for it. The victims become more vulnerable and sensitive when adults are around because they might do something that would trigger an abuse.

Children who are abused by their parents or by any member of the family find it more difficult to tell someone what is happening at home. This is when teachers come in. Observant teachers are the ones who report child abuse to the authorities to help their students.

Parents need to be keener and more vigilant if there are changes in the behavior and mood of their children. This way they will know right away if there are unpleasant happenings in school or in the neighborhood. This serious problem should never be underestimated or ignored.

Therapy near me and counselling are often the best solution for those who experienced abuse and neglect. This kind of childhood trauma is difficult to face and remedy. Some victims get angry and blame themselves for the abuse. The anger and the guilt are not easy to overcome since many of the victims still see their abuser at home or in the community.

Mindshift Psychological Services is one of the most trusted clinics when it comes to dealing with mental health issues for residents in Riverside, California, Corona, California and Los Angeles, California. Its medical professionals are highly trained to handle any kinds of mental health problems.

If your child is a victim of abuse or you, even as an adult, are more than welcome to attend their sessions in therapy near me and counselling. They provide an array of services that would suit your needs. Some of their services include trauma therapy, child psychology, teen therapy near me and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Schedule an appointment right now through their website. You can also contact them at (714) 584 9700.

Never have second thoughts about dealing with child abuse. Yes, it creates a negative impact even to adulthood, but this does not mean that this is where it ends. You need to get up and get help especially if it is a child who has been maltreated.