Tag Archives: Violence & Abuse

Former NFL Star Aaron Hernandez Convicted of Murder

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and weapons charges in a 2013 killing for which PCP use allegedly played a role. Hernandez, who’d pleaded not guilty to the execution-style slaying, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Adults Abused as Children Often Plagued by Comorbid Drug Abuse, Mental Illness

Adults who were the victims of child abuse have increased chances of developing substance use disorders as adults, research has shown. In addition, adults with such a history are known to have increased risks for developing a mental illness unrelated to substance use. In a study scheduled for publication in October 2014 in the journal […]

Children of Alcoholics Choose Alcohol Abusers as Partners

Adult children of alcoholics are people who grew up in a household with at least one parent affected by alcoholism. A significant minority of all U.S. adults come from such a background. In a study published in January 2014 in the journal Addictive Behaviors, a team of American researchers assessed the chances that young adult […]

Physicians Warned About ‘Caregiver-Fabricated Illness’ in Kids

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a report warning healthcare professionals about the dangers of “caregiver-fabricated illness” in children, giving a new name to the condition and emphasizing the harm it can do to kids. As a result of the rarity of the condition, it is often overlooked, and the AAP is urging […]

Family History, Childhood Trauma Increase Suicide Risk for Men

Researchers and mental health professionals have known for a long time that men and boys have elevated chances of dying from suicide, even though they make suicide attempts far less often than women and girls. Researchers and doctors have also identified many of the risk factors that increase the likelihood of suicide. According to the […]

Depression Puts Women at Increased Risk for Domestic Violence, Study Finds

Domestic violence is the collective term for a range of behaviors designed to assert or maintain control over a partner in an intimate relationship. While men and women can both become targets of this type of violence, women remain far more susceptible than men. Doctors and mental health researchers already know that exposure to domestic […]

Spanking, Slapping, Shoving Kids Sets Them Up for Mental Disorders

There was once a time when corporal punishment was so acceptable it was even allowed in schools. Today, spanking, slapping, or otherwise punishing a child in a physical manner is not completely absent, but it is no longer the widely-accepted practice of a few decades ago. Now parents are more likely to try different types […]

Links Between Methamphetamine Use, Paranoia, and Violence

Methamphetamine is an illegally manufactured drug known by a variety of street names, including meth, crystal meth, ice, crank and speed. Once it enters the bloodstream, the drug drastically alters normal function inside a part of the brain called the limbic system. One result of methamphetamine-related change in this system is a feeling of intense […]

Mental Illness and the Link to Domestic Violence

With so many eyes today fixed on the mentally ill as perpetrators of violence, a recently published study from the United Kingdom redirects attention to a much more common problem – the mentally ill as victims of violence. According to British crime reports, 27 percent of women there are exposed to spousal abuse at some […]

Bully, Bully: Stop the Torment

When it comes to our children, we parents want to do all we can to protect them from harm. Sadly, far too many children are suffering needless torment at the hands of bullies who besiege them at school, on playgrounds, in small groups, on the street, and even online. This can cause long-lasting harm to […]

Child Sexual Abuse: A Burden No One Should Bear Alone

Survivors of child sexual abuse have a lot to deal with. Betrayal of trust, sexual confusion, manipulation, violation of the body, secrecy, deceit, emotional ambivalence, loss of autonomy, dissociation from the body, shame, guilt, often pain, and often some degree of sexual pleasure can all be present in a single instance of abuse, or over […]

All in Your Head? Mental Abuse as Damaging for Children as Physical Abuse

When a child gets a “boo-boo,” parents respond promptly with a Band-Aid and sympathy. If we see someone in the grocery store hit their child, we shake our heads and question their parenting skills, and perhaps report them to child services. But when parents ignore their kids’ mental and emotional needs, we often don’t even […]

Is There a Connection Between PTSD and Violent Behavior?

Numerous studies show that repeat deployments are a risk factor for post traumatic stress disorder among war veterans. PTSD and traumatic brain injuries can affect a person’s self control and even increase anger or hostility but the connection between PTSD and violent behavior does not appear to be strong, according to a recent news article.

Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse Who Blame Themselves or Others for Abuse More Likely to Develop PTSD

A new study from the University of Granada has found that victims of child abuse who blame themselves and their families for what happened to them are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder. The study, which examined 160 university students who had been sexually abused as children, also showed that individuals who blame themselves […]

Anger and Trauma

Victims of trauma experience severe violations of personal boundaries. Consequently, persistent anger and anger management problems are common characteristics of individuals who have experienced traumatic events. This is true for survivors of abuse as well as for survivors of other types of adverse incidents. If loss occurs, anger as a stage of grieving is a […]

Domestic Violence Perpetuates Cycle of Abuse in Children

Every year, millions of children witness a parent abusing another parent in their home. The abuse doesn’t have to be physical; it can also involve verbal abuse or ongoing manipulations. Many people may not be aware of the ramifications of domestic violence on children, both long and short-term. In addition, research shows that children who […]

Comorbid Substance Abuse and Mental Illness May Lead to Violent Behavior

Scientists have found that being diagnosed with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia does not necessarily make an individual more prone to violent behavior. Individuals with these psychiatric disorders who also abuse alcohol or drugs, however, do have a stronger relationship with violence, according to a new study.

Nurses Reporting On-the-Job Assault from Patients

Because many states are cutting their spending on mental health care services, Americans are increasingly losing resources to treat their substance abuse and psychological conditions. Without specialized care, many cases of alcoholism, drug abuse, and psychiatric crises go untreated and worsen, and eventually land these individuals in the emergency room. In recent studies, the Substance […]