
By David Rettew M.D., ABCs of Child Psychiatry
The last decade of the 1990s was often labeled the “Decade of the Brain,” as many mental health clinicians and researchers emphasized biological and genetic factors as contributing to both mental health and illness. Over the last 15 or so years however, the pendulum has swung the other way, with a lot of focus on the role of traumatic and adverse experiences as the primary contributors to mental health disorders. Included in the expanded definition of adverse experiences are societal factors, often called social determinants of health, that include things such as poverty, racism, and lack of access to safe and healthy environments.
Share This Post!
Understanding Childhood Trauma: Ways to Support Young People
By Boys & Girls Clubs of America For generations, tough childhood experiences have been swept under the rug by phrases like these. Oftentimes, the reason why is simple: many families simply did [...]
Addressing The Link Between Trauma And Addiction
By National Governors Association Many Americans have experienced traumatic events, toxic stress, and other types of adversity in childhood. However, repeated exposure to trauma and adversity in childhood predicts a variety [...]
The Health Benefits of Volunteerism
By Eric Burger It’s a simple fact that every nonprofit organization knows: volunteering makes you feel better. But did you know that the anecdotal stories about volunteering health benefits have been [...]
Checklist: Creating Safe Spaces for Youth
By Mental Health America Now more than ever, young people need an environment where they feel seen, heard, and valued. [...] Creating connection starts with you, so allow youth to get [...]
What is Childhood Trauma: Trauma Types
By The National Child Traumatic Stress Network When a child feels intensely threatened by an event he or she is involved in or witnesses, we call that event a trauma. There [...]
Racial Trauma
By Mental Health America Racial trauma, or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS), refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes. Any [...]