I would like to know if any of you believe there is a connection between Childhood abuse and this dreadful disease?
One of my Physicians feels that there is a connection. I was abused as a child and even sexually abused. I wonder if this plays a roll in my disease. I was dx now 28 years ago.
Like many of you I have had many types of treatment for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue, from traditional to the non-traditional. .
I wonder if this does have any role, what do you think? Is there anyone else like me?
It's kind of painful to reiterate again, so hoping the link will prove helpful to you.
And yes, I do believe there is a link between childhood abuse and fibro. A study was done in Romania that found that children who were sent to orphanages and suffered neglect had shortened telomeres. Telomeres are stretches of non-coding DNA at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. In adults, shorter telomeres have previously been associated with aging, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline, as well as oxidative and psychological stress.
So neglect = stress = aging prematurely. = fibro too???
i think there is see i was physically, sexually, mentally abused and isolated except for going to school i remember my step hurting my hands so bad i couldnt use them and then i would get beat cuz i couldnt use them and get good grades in school his main places to hit me was my head and back so im sure it does play a role somehow depending on the amount of physical damage that was done some of the stuff he did is too horrid to put on here in public but he was and is the true definition of a monster but i win since he went to prison and has to account for every move he makes and be tracked where i dont . i have full freedoms he dont, i graduated high school 6 months early despite what he did to me, i have a few poems published , i turned the tables on him for he will always be a horrible person and i grew stronger and more stubborn with abilities that he will never have for it takes a very weak hearted and weak minded person with many self esteem problems and lack of self love to think they can bring who they deem as weak down with them when in reality all he did was make me stronger in the end a bully and abuser should know they will never win the game it may take awhile but their so called victim will always win cuz getting tired of their crap is what makes a person strong enough to leave the weakness of an abuser behind
I think so, absolutely. Any type of trauma to the body or mind can manifest it self in so many ways and I think it has a very close link with Fibro. I know most people who have been traumatized this way also suffer from PTSD, anxiety, mod to severe depression, CF, panic disorder and many others. So yes, in my opinion their is a connection. hugs to you, Leanne
i do believe..i have been unhappy most of my life.....i was abused both ways too as a child...and i have had fibro and CF for 28 yrs...i been through 3 marriages,numerous relationships, breast cancer and my present husband has late stages alzheimers....the abuse me made me strong and the fibro makes me weak. so i am fighting a battle inside myself...sometimes i just want to give up.
i am happy i found this site...prayer has helped too...there are many of us out there in this position, maybe if we stick together, we can make a difference...be strong, mary
Yes. LindaKay, I was a victim of childhood abuse and sexual abuse. And I do think that there is a connection. Believe me I have done research for years and my old doctor in Denver (I know live elsewhere) understood this. When a child is abused it actually changes their brain chemistry/structure. We become "hard-wired" for anxiety, etc. Luckily, I had great grandparents where I could go and stay as often as I could. It was my safe house. They loved me and never said a cross word to me. It was when my mother married my evil step-father that the abuse began with frightening and painful, extreme belt beatings. He sometimes even used a small whip that I believe was made for horses. He was also verbally abusive.
I am sure this is where I learned to tense up and when my "fight or flight" response became permanently turned to the ON position. I was molested by an older step-brother (who was an adult) from the ages 5-9. He would molest me during the night while I was sleeping though of course I would awaken.
The bastards (my step-father and step-brother). Wish I could sue!
By the way I am sure that there is research to prove the connection if I recall. You can research it.
I agree , I was sexually abused when I was ten by a family friend , and as I grew up had abusive relationships ect , looking back I would definatly say there is a connection xxlove to you all and big hugs xxx
Another site asked about same question ...if people ever could get rid of PTSD,post traumatic stress syndrome. The majority of people felt that people improve and get better but part of it is always there.
Bernie Segal MD who is a famous surgeon who wrote a number of books most best sellers) in late 80's and 90's about why some people would survive cancer when there was no hope and other did not. He also looked at same thing with Children. Both books were very interesting....if i recall correctly lot had to do with not religious but very deep spiritual belief plus their attitude. Positive thinkers....happy with their lives etc. He studied their drawings i recall.
But in one book he stated that all women who had SLE (systemic lupus) had been sexually abused. This does not mean that all women who had been sexually abused will get lupus. I have asked around when i felt close enough with women I know who have lupus and asked my counselor as well to note this. So far it was true....which is interesting since lupus is disease that attacks our bodies....many women hold deep anger about the abuse as small children since they could not protect themselves even if they physically tried.
And what Petunia Girl brings up...that is well known. IT has been discussed on many of talk shows about parents how adopted children from homes that just had so many children and not enough care workers that only time if ever they got touched or held was during bottle feeding. As soon as child could hold the bottle they were left alone to feed themselves. These kids have grown with with serious problems such as parents are terrified the adopted child is going to kill one of the parents or both and possibly siblings or all of them in their sleep. Many have attacked their parents as young as 2 or 3!
I also have personally felt, that i do not want to stay sick to try and have as normal a life as possible so people that did abuse me as small child or those as adult never win. I may not be able to make Lupus or fibro disappear completely but i sure am going to try my best to have the happiest life i can....get out and walk my dogs in nature since it gives me so much pleasure ...and even no i am coming up with plan to get myself up into high country again.
Now. i do have bad periods...but eventually this desire to beat them....to throw the anger at them instead of myself...does win out...but it has been constant battle at times for me. I hate how at times it does feel some of the have won ..at least temporarily.
I don't know about if others feel this way....i know that in some support groups the fact that i did no hate men or tried my best to have up beat out look made others so angry at me. I do know that after having gone through something as adult very traumatic and than doctors way over drugged me....that i lost part of the optimism and i am fighting to get it back.
But now i am wondering if it is disease so finally going to cave in and allow some tests done. I am going to find a way back to myself...and i realize part is fear..that was holding me back. So just wonder if anyone else has had this experience as adult. I do know my doctor's wife did after she lost adult child to drug over dose...than became addicted herself...so she was over drugged though it be by choice but she got totally what i was feeling since she herself is feeling that way and also is trying to get it back. she is run I be curious if others feel this way ever too.
sorry if i got off subject....and sorry i write so long...
I too was abused and molested. My mother's friend abused me between the ages of 10 and 13 when I finally told my mother. My mother thought I was evil; I had to go to confirmation and my brother didn't. My mother and brother ignored me when I lived at home. My mother kept trying to have me "saved"; she even got annointing oil from Oral Roberts and I went to hug her she took the oil and put a drop on my head. Another of my mothers "friends" son watched us once when she went to the hospital. He provided alcohol for me and I got drunk and then he tried to have sex with me. I told him no and a couple of nights later he beat me up over not doing the dishes. I was backed into the pantry where the kitchen knives were kept and I pulled one on him to get him away from me. My father fondled me, I was gang-raped at 18. Oh, hell, yes, I belived childhood abuse is conneted to fibro. There may be others who don't not have the connection but that doesn't mean they don't have fibro or those who have been abused have fibro. I think we need to make our voices heard, we need to keep on the doctors and researcher to find healing and coping with fibro. I am so happy we have this site! I have a place that people care and provide support and info.
I was also molested as a small child by a family "friend". It happened a few times the first of which was when I was much too young to understand what was going on. I never spoke of it to my parents or to my aunt and uncle (he was their neighbor). It's been almost 50 years since this happened. I have since dealt with it in therapy and I told my mother and aunt who are still alive but quite elderly. It hurt that neither of them believes me.
I was also in a 15 year marriage to a very abusive man. During this period my depression bloomed and I believe this was the start of my fibro symptoms. I finally got out but the damage was done.
I do believe there's a connection between trauma of any kind and fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue. Sadly this is not the focus of most studies. I think if they did a survey of patients with FM/CF they would see a connection. It could also be a car accident, or another type of trauma that starts the cycle. Thanks for bringing up this very sensitive topic. It's good to have a forum for this type of discussion. The link posted by Petunia Girl is very interesting.
I do so agree with you about the part in which you said not letting the abusers win. I tell myself a saying I heard a long time ago when I'm feeling down or in a lot of pain "Living well is my best revenge". This saying means that I will treat myself the best I can, be it dressing well (as I can afford to), by living my dream of being an artist/jewelry designer, eating well, getting a college degree (or two) (they're associate degrees but its more than my mother and brother got), and taking care of myself the best I can. Sometimes, I miss the mark and don't take care of my health or I'm self-flogging but I get back up on the horse we call life and keep riding on. Sometimes, I think my parents and my brother are looking down at me and laughing because I've had rough times but the last laugh will be on me! I was told I would never make anything of myself and I prooved that wrong. I AM somebody because I;m a loving caring human and everything else is icing on the cake. Love L.A.
I have not seen any postings about this before but would like to say YES. I suffer from PTSD, Fibro, CFS, depression & anxiety attacks. I was abused in so many ways as both a young child and later in life. It is too painful for me to speak of such right now. Psch's have told me that my body is taking a beating from years of suppressed emotions. I have been through 3 marriages and a few relationships that never worked out. How can a dysfunctional person attract the right kind of people is what I've been told by the various Psych's I have seen over the years.
I note there are a few of 'us' who have replied they have had similar -if not same-issues as young people. Kind of paints a picture doesn't it?
I am so sorry to hear of any physical or emotional trauma that you have been through. I hope that with the help of a good MD, PhD and the support of Ben's Friends that you can work through this and be healed. I hope that if it is something of the nature of a car accident that you happened to be charged for that you have forgiven yourself.
I was predisposed for autoimmune through my Mom's side, goes back many, many grandmothers that had this illness, and possibly others that were unknown or undiagnosed at the time, but the third car accident of being rear ended really kicked this up. I was diagnosed with PTSD, but worked with a PhD for a couple of years and she really helped me to cope with chronic pain, PTSD, and not being able to continue to work. She got me back behind the wheel of a car.
I must also give my husband so much credit for the care he has given and the fact that he drove me around for years to appointments, tests, and everything else, for years he had to almost carry me around, and he still does when I need him. He is not perfect, and I'm not either, but he is always there for me, my Mom, son, and grandkids, so that makes him a very good man, and I am very fortunate to have him.
There are many good articles on this subject, to substantiate your theory, here is one by a female Dr that I would like to share with you.
Well i just been reading about connection between it and lupus but connective tissue diseases and just illness in general. I just Google lupus and childhood sexual abuse and got over ten pages. Than when i just went to Wiley Online Library series it searches over 80 articles that covered not just lupus but covers about ever aspect of what childhood sexual abuse or just abuse in some studies can do to children.
Sage journals covered abuse of women with disability the policy implications..it basically states women with abuse clearly suffer more than those not abused when it comes to disability. So not just fibro but clearly abuses effects not just women more but even men more...as to pain levels and complications in with their diseases. Another though points out that those who get counseling and learn to forgive etc..also do better with their disabilities. it is Sage journals but Rehabilitation Counseling Journals (Hammill Institute on Disabilities).
Many are major colleges from here US and famous ones around the world which has articles about sexual abuse mainly in childhood and different ways it effects us both as children and adults with many bringing out the mind body connections and different ways it comes out. Including PTSD..which is given in younger abused children. National Health Institute and my Pain journal i get which name is slipping me right now...it covers it and give constantly new updates on it and pain and how it abuse effects pain levels. I know in Rheum Journal i have read about it as well. Nature too. So there are many research articles out there in both psychology as well as physically.
Point is just one story can lead to 80 plus more articles...so there is huge amount of studies that have been done about how sexual abuse does really effect our bodies sadly. I know it hurts children's souls having been abused myself and worked with children who have been. BUT good news is that much of it can be healed and it shows that in pain studies as well. The more joyful we are the pain is not going to effect us as much.
I know this to be true for myself...if i go out and hike or walk my dogs i can barely walk but in my head it just does not seem as bad the pain...or like it was well worth it since i had so much fun!.
Nancy, I am so sorry that neither your aunt or your mother believe you. This really hurts so deeply that your own mother would not believe their own child. I hope you might realize she says this because she herself can yet handle the pain of not protecting you.
But there are some parents who just blindly do not want to see it and it hurts their adult children greatly and I think every person out there who has heart can see why. I sincerely hope that as time goes on, your mother comes around and realizes why in the world would you lie about such a thing? Who would want to imagine such horror up and than have to face shame we all tend to feel when we finally do tell....unless of course you had plenty of counseling before you told. I just feel so bad for you and hope you know that it is their limitations. If you never did family story on your mother you might...and often it will become clear why she unable to accept this truth of yours. I believe you completely and only wish i could magically make your mother..i am sincerely sorry and it was very brave of you to come forward. It still seems to hold a lot of shame since this is topic that has hardly been touched on and yet it is shown to severely effect our diseases, our lives and well being emotionally.
My Grandmother was never diagnosed with Fibro but there is. a doubt in my mind she also suffered from it. I did indeed seek help long ago for the abuse. But I think it is also related to the. as well as autonomic disfuntions that I have. had shingles at 30 that went in. This caused a number of other problems. It is never ending. But I have a great fiance…
Yes my brother attempted to rape me as a young teen, and I was traumatized by it and had no-one to talk to about it. I told my mother and she was great but I wasn't allowed to tell anyone else, I was told to repress it. Some things never leave you though. I'm 45 now. I then went on to marry a man who abused me verbally and emotionally. The real problems started not long after we were married. That's when all my symptoms began to appear. I suffer from depression and severe anxiety now, and am starting psychological counselling tomorrow actually. I can definitely see a link. My motto in life used to be "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger", but I don't think I believe that one any more. Hugs to everyone. :)