sensitve question....interesting hypothesis

[sunny]

Since I am a retired therapist, I am interested in how many of you all experienced some form of abuse as children....whether emotional, physical or sexual. I realize some of you might prefer not to answer....but if stress has such a big impact on auto immune diseases, I am wondering if child abuse could have predisposed me to this. I lived with 2 alcoholic parents with domestic violence a constant. My mom was verbally abusive and neglectful. So I had constant "tummy aches" and diarrhea has plaqued me most of my adult life. So if any of you feel comfortable in trusting me with your stories, I would really appreciate it. I may be all wrong and that may be proven too . I am thinking of this because I saw a cardiologist who had discovered that a very large number of his patients with heart failure had abusive childhoods and he was quite surprised, as was I.

[tex]

You can set this up as a poll, if you want to get anonymous statistics. It's not possible to write anonymous posts, though. I could probably modify the code so that anonymous posting would be possible, (while still requiring membership registration prior to posting, in order to hide our e-mail addresses, etc., from the outside world), but most of us have distinctive writing styles that most of the rest of us would recognize anyway, IMO.

I suspect you may be onto something, though. Yep, my childhood was stressful. I was a nail biter, which is pretty good supporting evidence, isn't it?

Tex

[Becky]

Interesting...thankfully, my childhood was the white picket fence type. Far from perfect but no abuse of any kind. Unless you consider obsessions with food. Overweight runs in the family. We had to "clean our plate" at every meal. I feel like I can trace my overweight issues to my childhood.

[mle_ii]

There have been various studies showing just what you're getting at that stress leads to imune issues.

A very good book to read that's related to this topic is "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" by Robert M. Sapolsky. And by the way he is a very funny and good author. Very easy to read and fun. Sure is an eye opener though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Zebras ... Get_Ulcers

Thanks,
Mike

[sunny]

Thanks Mike for the book title....I'm going to look for it. I am aware of the impact of stress on the immune system, and my question is about the impact of childhood stress on that immune system.

And, Tex....how do I set up an anonymous poll? just repost my question in the poll section? Pst....I was a nail biter too....

Rb...thanx for the comments...white picket fences sound good!! I had to "unlearn" the clean my plate mantra and get out ot that club....took me 50 years, but I did it!!

[Polly]

Hi Sunny,

Nope, no abuse. I was incredibly lucky to have parents who never once hit me or yelled at me or belittled me...... they were totally supportive in every way. We didn't even have to clean our plates!

However, despite this, I lived in a house filled with extreme stress. My parents just could not get along with each other - they were like oil and water. Constantly bickering, pushing each other's buttons.......often fueled by too much alcohol. I remember my brothers and me wishing they would get divorced just so we could have some peace. Unfortunately, they waited until I was 16 to do so - staying together "for the sake of the kids" of course.

As long as I can remember, my gut has been my target organ. Whenever I would get nervous, I would have to run to the bathroom with diarrhea. I guess that's where I learned to focus my stress.

Interesting thread. BTW I agree with your comment on another thread that "when it's time, it's time". The Buddhists would say that "when the right causes and conditions come together, the right result arises". This kind of thinking is what kept me sane over the last 10 months as I struggled with chronic sinus problems requiring months of antibiotics and 2 surgeries. Fortunately, I think the right conditions have finally come together! There is a song (country I believe) with the line "it took me a long time to get here, but I'm right on time"! Appropriate, no?

Love,

Polly

[barbaranoela]

Being upfront---I had to comment on this subject--MY DAD

I wasnt abused physically---but was abused by SILENCE---NO GOOD NIGHTS--NO HUGS--NO--KISSES---NO SMILES!!!!!!!

YES---clean ya plate-----and if I did poorly in school --I shook --

Yes he was a drinker---and lots-times I would find him and some of his cronies---sleeping --from a drunk--sprawled on our floor---
I kept clear of everything----made like *this isnt happening*

My mom was the obediant wife----she married him when she was 16---coming to the city to WORK and help her family @ home--
My dad abused my mom---physically----I used to run from my bedroom--screaming---crying---*Daddy--leave mommy alone*--*stop hitting her* and mommy would just send me back to bed---

I luved my dad---but hated him---and when I had my first child---his first grandchild---there was a loving man that started to come thru---he held Deb so tenderly--that I was in tears---
Thru this me and my dad started to share our luve and then he dropped dead of a heart attack----@ the age of 53---
And my mom didnt communicate with me too much either---she didnt know how----it was like her job--was wife---cook and whatever--and my DAD had an affair with some bimbo----I was about 11/12--I even knew it but my mom kept pugging along---until one day she actually found this woman----the first time my mom showed FIREY EMOTION---did it do anything to make things better?? NO!!!
And a few years ago---I asked my mom---*how did U feel when daddy died?* and do U know what she said---*I was sad but I FELT FREE!!!!! FREE---and I thought how very sad that I didnt do more --as I grew---to open my mouth--to sit my dad down and let him HEAR how I felt all the years of growing--maybe it would have helped him to let down the *MAN* of the house routine crap!!!
After my dad died---my mom had to find a job----which gave her such a wonderful *glow* of seeing that she was capable of DOING for herself--and she was radiant BUT still didnt know HOW to just sit and chat about anything/everything in life----


And to this day----I still am missing pieces to my younger dayz --

I was never a sick child----from this---why?? I dont know---and maybe I WAS but didnt know it--!!!!

So there ya go-----my life--

Barbara

[tex]

Hi Sunny,

I edited your post to set up a poll. If you want to change anything, just click on the "Edit" button in the top right corner of your post, and you will be able to see how the poll is set up, (just below the message window), and you can edit, delete, or add anything to suit your preferences. If you want to edit it, the sooner the better, obviously, since some types of changes would need to be done before any responses are posted to the poll.

Tex

[sunny]

Thanx Tex for setting up the poll...it's just fine the way it is....I have nothing to add or delete!!

[sunny]

Barbara, thanx for such a great description of your childhood....I can really relate, especially to trying to stop the abuse and "rescue" Mom from Dad.....in fact, I still wear a big RESCUE button and have to work hard to recognize when I am trying to rescue others ....I also wish I had talked with my dad before he died but I didn't know then what I know now. I wasn't sick as a child either, but that is why I asked this question of the community....I think the effects of all those years of stress take a toll ....that knowledge doesn't fix anything now, but it does alert me to those areas of stress in my life today that need to be avoided when I can and handled wisely when I can't. Thanx again for your candor!
Sunny

[sunny]

Polly,,,,thanx for your as always thoughtful responses. New thought for me of the gut as the "target organ" .....I think that is true for me also. I appreciate the Buddhist quote and the country lyric...interesting how two such disparate sources come up with the same truth!!! I need to keep that in mind more often and not try so hard to make it happen...NOW!!

[mle_ii]

Thanks Mike for the book title....I'm going to look for it. I am aware of the impact of stress on the immune system, and my question is about the impact of childhood stress on that immune system.

Right, there is a short term effect obviously, but there is also a long term effect as well. Which could be due to childhood stress.

Also, something that was brought up some time ago, the stress on your parents and grand parents, etc can also have an effect. This is through a mechanism called epigenetics. Crazy stuff indeed. A lot of which made sense back when all one had to worry about was food or being food. Now not so much, but it still impacts.

Mike

[annie oakley]

My mother was mentally abusive. She didn't hit me or abuse me phyisically but she was manic before we knew what that was. It was crazy growing up with that. I never knew what she would say next and she was totally negative. Father was sweet but passive. Love Oma

[tex]

Sunny,

Here's that discussion on epigenetics, that Mike mentioned. I think you will find it very interesting, if you haven't already researched it.

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... pigenetics

Tex

[mini]

I believe childhood stress plays a major role in many conditions we seem to develop as adults, the hypothesis of stress and immunity is indeed very interesting.