There are many lifelong effects of childhood abuse. Child abuse and neglect can do significant and long-lasting damage, according to a six-decade review of British data.
The analysis of records dating to the late 1950s found that children who experienced physical or sexual abuse were more likely to die early as adults.
"Our work shows the long-lasting consequences that specific types of child abuse and neglect can have. The findings are especially important because these early-life adversities are not uncommon, affecting millions of people," first study author Dr. Nina Rogers says.
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Senior author Dr. Snehal Pinto Pereira describes the study as the first to tease out the links between different kinds of childhood mistreatment and early death.
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"Very few studies have considered the long-term implications of experiencing neglect in childhood," Pereira, a lecturer in population health and applied statistics at University College London says. "I, therefore, think our finding that children who are neglected have a 43% higher risk of dying early in adulthood, highlights a critical component of child maltreatment where knowledge of long-term outcomes is particularly sparse."
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The impact is significant, the researchers suggest in a university news release.
A crime survey for England and Wales estimated that one in five adults between 18 and 74 experienced at least one form of child abuse by age 16, including psychological, physical or sexual abuse, or witnessing domestic violence or abuse.
Effects of childhood abuse
Here are 6 ways adults who experienced child abuse are likely to have a shorter life:
1. Re-victimisation
People that have been abused as a child, in whatever form, are more likely to have low self-esteem and believe that violent behavior is normal. This can cause them to put themselves in the face of danger where they are more likely to be abused and re-victimized.
2. Physical health problems
Studies show that adult survivors of childhood abuse have more medical issues. Adults who experienced child abuse are more likely to experience physical health problems including diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, headaches, gynaecological problems, stroke, hepatitis and heart disease.
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3. Mental health problems
A history of abuse can result in personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis. Depression is also a major effect of childhood abuse. A study shows that adults who had experienced child abuse were two and a half times more likely to have major depression and six times more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder.
4. Suicidal behavior
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study in the United States shows that adults exposed to four or more adverse experiences in childhood were 12 times more likely to have attempted suicide than those who had no adverse experiences in childhood.
5. Eating disorders and obesity
One study found that adolescents and young adults with a history of child sexual abuse or neglect were five times more likely to have an eating disorder compared to individuals who did not have a history of abuse. The study also found that child sexual abuse and physical abuse were associated with a doubling of the odds of obesity in middle-aged women. Additionally, physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence and neglect were associated with the increased risk of obesity in middle adulthood by 20 to 40%.
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6. Alcohol and substance abuse
In the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study in the United States, adults with four or more adverse experiences in childhood were seven times more likely to consider themselves an alcoholic, five times more likely to have used illicit drugs and ten times more likely to have injected drugs compared to adults with no adverse experiences. The higher rates of substances are due in large part to childhood abuse victims using substances to self-medicate and cope with traumatic experiences such as anxiety, depression and memories of an abusive past.
How to seek help
Childhood abuse can come with a range of lifelong challenges. If your loved one is experiencing trauma from childhood abuse, it is important that you let them know you are there for them and get them the help they need. A therapist can help work through the long-term effects of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse experienced during childhood.
It is also important to stop child abuse in its tracks before it gets to the point where it causes life-threatening challenges in adulthood. If you believe a child may be being abused, contact the police or the 24-hour Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. The national child abuse hotline can give you information on support resources, emergency services, and social assistance.
