Abuse in Early Life Changes the Behavior of Stress Genes

As a survivor of incest, sexual, physical, mental and emotional abuse, I have known for a long time that I do not seem to tolerate stressful situations very well.

In the past, I continually beat myself up for not being "stronger" and not being able to bear up under the stresses and strains of life that so many other people seemed to take in stride.

Sometimes things that should hardly cause a blip on the radar screen would set off a 3 alarm signal in my brain. I was puzzled by it and thought I was just puny and unable to cope well with life.

As time has passed and as I've been able to unravel more of my abusive history, I have learned that my "inability to cope" is in some way connected to my past abuse.

Now, Neuroscience writer, Ed Yong has come along with some news about the very things I have experienced in my own life. He says, "The trauma of child abuse can last a lifetime, leading to a higher risk of anxiety, depression and suicide further down the line." I think it is obvious that abuse could do this kind of long-term damage, but Dr. Yong goes on to say that "a group of Canadian scientists have now discovered a genetic basis" for this type of reaction to stress.

The evidence for this scientific conclusion comes from autopsies of suicide victims. When the brain matter taken from the hippocampus was compared to the same hippocampus testing of people who died from other causes, there was a significant difference found. This study finds that abuse actually changes the way our genes behave. This is a biologic disturbance and not just an emotional disturbance in those of us who have suffered abuse. It is "in our head" but it is mostly in the part of our brain called the hippocampus, which causes us to feel stressed even when nothing is actually stressing us.

I can certainly relate to that. There are days when I feel like something is constantly pushing me and I cannot relax. There is nothing going on in my life that should cause this sensation, but it is present anyway. Then when something comes along that does increase stress levels, I go completely off the chart in anxieties. Now I can better understand why I feel the way I do and I can connect those dots back to the decades of abuse that I suffered earlier in life.

I'm sure there will be more and more information available on this topic in the near future. I am very thankful for the scientific research that is being done and I know it will help many, many survivors of various abuses to be able to "normalize" their reactions to stressors.

Perhaps this information will cause more abuse survivors to understand their need for some of the medications that are available to us. I have been on anti-depressant medications for about 6 years and it does help. If I find myself in a very stressful situation, my doctor told me to increase the amount of medication for a few days to help me get through the stress. I have done that and it also is very helpful to me.

I've heard so many people say that we should not take these medications, but unless you have walked in my shoes, please don't make that statement to me. I am a living, breathing example that anti-depressants help. I need them and I take them. There is no reason to feel ashamed for needing the medication. I liken it to a person who is diabetic. Something in their body isn't working properly, so they take diabetic medications. Something in my brain isn't working properly (due to abuse), so I take medication.

Sources:

http://www.protect.org/Newswire/National/Study-Childhood-trauma-can-change-DNA.html
http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2009/02/child_abuse_permanently_modifies_stress_genes_in_brains_of_s.php