Posted by inmostleaf on October 9, 2008, at 15:53:52
Hello,
I am new here, this is my first post. I have been reading what I can for a long time now, and to be honest sometimes I'm not sure if what I'm reading is what I'm merely looking for.
So that's why I have come to writing this. To get a collective of objective opinions, insights, and even if anyone has something personally related that can add to this discussion.
My primary inquiry/question is the interest in how trauma and chronic stress as an early adolescent directly/indirectly affects development as an adult (I am 26 now)? I ask this because when I was 10 I lost a grandfather, at age 11 two cousins, at age 12 my mother, aunt (her sister), another cousin, and within a year after my father remarried to woman with 3 kids to add to myself and my two sisters. That situation in itself didn't help matters as my father wasn't around to help me and my sisters, and the fact my step-mom at the time was very old-school. She was very brash, authoritative, and just cold. To a point I believe she mentally and emotionally abused me and my sisters. She wasn't a very pleasant, nurturing woman. She just didn't have maternal instincts.
Anyway, if all of that weren't enough within 2-3 years after in immediate succession went a few other family members on my mother's side. My mother's side had a total of 10 children all from the same mother and father, and today there are only 2 left. All the rest have died from some form of cancer.
Over the course of the time from 13 to now/26 I've saw a host of professionals that have diagnosed me with Major Depression/Clinical, Generalized & Social Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Bipolar I & II, Dysthymia/Atypical, Mixed-State Anxiety-Depression, and ADD-I. The most frequent diagnosis has been Dysthymia/PTSD + ADD-I.
Throughout the myriad of diagnosis I've had no other choice but to dig deeper, and it's not that I disagree with DD/PTSD + ADD-I. It is rather I'm looking to find the why's and how's. So hopefully I've given enough info to get some insight.
Such as how the HPA-Axis can be permanently damaged due to the chronic stress/trauma and can result in either hypoactive pituitary or hyperactive pituitary which can lead to physiological problems and ultimately behavioral and emotional problems.
And from what I understand there can also be permanent altering of catecholamines - specifically mesocorticolimbic dopamine pathways, and various hormones.
If anyone has made if this far what do you think?
Do you believe there is a specific implication to development in all aspects?
I also came across other possible developmental implication theories due to prolonged stress and trauma such as hemisphere hypo and hyper activity. In that the development of psychiatric comorbidities (as stated above) are greatly increased due to abnormal development of brain structure from early trauma, and chronic stress thereafter.
Lastly, if it matters at all the other reason I'm writing this is to gain a better understanding not only for myself, but also for when I graduate and become a Social Worker. I have always thought that the whole point is if you deal with trials & tribulations yourself there are always people, especially the youth you can exert influences upon then maybe you can put these people in a mentality that will be beneficial to them later on. And that is the only hope I can possibly have.
Thank you for time and help. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Take a break, have a Jazz.
poster:inmostleaf
thread:856625
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/grief/20070414/msgs/856625.html