Member-only story
Breaking the Generational Child Abuse Cycle
We often hear that people who abuse others experienced abuse and bullying as children. Is it possible to break this generational cycle of abuse? Yes! Adults who were abused can break the cycle of abuse and maltreatment in their families. I have faced this challenge myself as someone who came out of a dysfunctional, abusive family.
People who were physically, verbally, or sexually abused, and endured neglect can overcome the negative effects of maltreatment in childhood and avoid becoming abusers themselves. As a survivor of a dysfunctional and abusive childhood, I can identify factors that helped me on my road to recovery.
Child maltreatment is a significant problem. The CDC estimates that 1 out of 10 American children experience some type of abuse or neglect. When I was a young adult survivor of childhood maltreatment, the prospect of having children terrified me.
Preventing Mistreatment of Children
A number of factors helped prevent me from being an abusive parent to my child.
Developing healthy coping skills
Research of people who grew up with emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, domestic violence, or parents who were substance abusers found that abuse survivors had a 4 to 12-fold increased risk for drug abuse, alcoholism, depression, and…
