Childhood Abuse Linked To Adult Depression

Many times childhood abuse leads to adult depression. It's very likely for a person diagnosed with adult depression to have experienced some form of childhood abuse, either physical, sexual, emotional or, often, a combination of these. This type of depression caused by the events in ones life is called reactive depression or exogenous depression. (see Types Of Depression)

Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. Child abuse is a very complex and dangerous set of problems that include child neglect, physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse of children. Children can be neglected and abused by parents, other caregivers, or society.

The profound impact of childhood abuse on the emotional, behavioral, social, and physical functioning of individuals is not fresh news. Researchers advised that even small degrees of stress provoke an outpouring of stress hormones, and these hormones in turn act directly on multiple sites of the brain producing the behavioral signs of depression. They push the brain's fear center into overdrive, getting out negative emotions that steer the depression's severity and add a twist of anxiety.

A recent neurobiological study conducted by the researchers at Trinity College Dublin shows that traumatic childhood experiences such as abuse or neglect, particularly when combined with genetic factors, may undergo structural brain changes that propel the person towards the path of adult depression.

Emotional stress during childhood due to negligence, physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, exploitation, pressure by parents and peers, comparison with siblings or friends and tension because of poor performances at school can result in potentially harming the child's health, self-esteem and development.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) major depression has a prevalence of about 10% worldwide, being one of the most important human diseases nowadays. By 2020 major depression will be the second most common cause of disability forecasts WHO.

Professor Thomas Frodl from the School of Medicine and Trinity Institute for Neuroscience, author of the study stated:

"This improved neurobiological understanding shows how stress and genetic variants interact and affect brain structure and function. In turn it demonstrates how it could affect a person's propensity for depression. These structural alterations of the brain are associated with a higher vulnerability to depression and a more chronic course of the depression might be associated with further structural changes."

"Therefore, early intervention in the case of major depression is necessary to increase the chance of a good disease outcome. Fortunately, depression can be treated very well by psychotherapy and antidepressant medication. Moreover, prevention strategies for childhood neglect and misuse are highly important to increase public health and to avoid in later life for these individuals, the burden of major depression."

Recovering from depression as an adult requires some detective work in ferreting out the nature of the exploitation. All types of child abuse and neglect leave lasting scars. Some of these scars might be physical, but emotional scarring has long lasting effects throughout life, damaging a child’s sense of self, ability to have healthy relationships, and ability to function properly in all fields of life.

Bibliography:

- Trinity College Dublin (2010, February 26). Childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect can result in structural brain changes. ScienceDaily from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/02/100225122705.htm (Details of these findings are published in the Journal, Neuropsychopharmacology)