We Are Adult Survivors of Child Abuse and Neglect

This last part in a series of posts on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) will complete their Position Statement on child abuse and neglect. Their final recommendation states:

My last post began describing a list of APA goals, policies, and recommendations to be followed given the magnitude of the harm inflicted on children when abused and neglected. I will continue with that list in this post.

Having read in my last post all the destructive effects on people who have been abused and neglected as a child, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) states the following:

I thought it might be helpful for survivors to read the American Psychiatric Association’s Position Statement on Child Abuse and Neglect that was approved in May 1991.That was almost 19 years ago. And yet there is still no public discussion by the media or any legislator at the

When I wrote my letter to Aetna’s CEO about my anger at Aetna doubling the co-pay to see a therapist, I expected one of two responses. The first was that I wouldn’t get a reply. The second, I would get the Company line that this was part

As usual, the insurance industry continues their discrimination of the mentally ill by unfairly charging us, especially survivors of child abuse and neglect, higher premiums. When I got my payment schedule for this year’s charges, I was very upset. So I wrote to Ronald Williams,

In 2002, President Bush’s “New Freedom Commission on Mental Health”[1] had a fancy title and convened a lot of meetings to discuss issues concerning mental health. Although I applaud the effort, as far as I know, nothing came of it. It is easy to hold hearings and listen to experts,

When a child is violent, it is often common to put the cause of such behavior on the characteristics of where a child has grown up. If there is a lot of unemployment or crime in the neighborhood, it is assumed these risk factors are reasons for the child’s behavior.

Attachment is important. It is the base upon which the emotional health, social relationships, and one’s worldview are built. The ability to trust and form relationships will affect the emotional health, security, and safety of the child, as well as the child’s development and future relationships.

If you, as a child abuse survivor, are happy about the recent Mental Health Parity legislation, you need to understand that there is so much more to be done, and it will take a long time. The legislation was a wonderful, long-overdue, first step, however, you have to be able to at least track mental health expenditures to make sound Congressional funding decisions.