Lately, news outlets have been saturated with the story of the three kidnapped girls from Cleveland. These girls were found nearly a decade after their disappearances, yet their joyous return is darkened by the horrors they endured all those years.
The details of their bondage trickle in slowly: rapes, beatings, miscarriages and potential deaths of other women. The trauma these three women have endured has captivated a horrified public. People ask: what’s next? How does a woman recover
from such a horrible experience?
This high profile case is one example of a
trauma that occurs silently every day. One in four women will experience some type of sexual assault in their lives. More than one third of all posttraumatic stress disorder cases are classified as severe, and negatively impact women’s everyday lives.
Women everywhere endure trauma and keep silent. These secret traumas damage
mental health, create anxiety, depression, suicidality, mood disorders, substance abuse and prevent women from truly living.
There is a long path ahead of women suffering from trauma. Women must free themselves from the resulting emotional trauma through a difficult journey of self-discovery, love and understanding. A co-occurring diagnoses treatment center allows women to explore mental health and substance abuse issues resulting from trauma and develop a path to wellness. A variety of therapies help women emotionally regulate, distance themselves from trauma and learn to love themselves again.
The road is long and fraught with struggle, but recovery is possible. With time and patience, women can get well. A holistic approach explores aspects including social support, body image, nutrition, sleep hygiene, medication, self-care and therapy to build a life that supports mental health recovery.
