How does child abuse affect mental health?

I'm doing a report on how child abuse affects children and I need to know how it affects not only physical health, but also mental. (:


Thanks 鈾?/div>

• 2 years ago


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|||Child sexual assault can have a number of effects both physical and psychological, that last both in the short term (see link below for a list of these) and longer term as an adult.





Long term effects may include:





* Depression, anxiety, trouble sleeping;


* Low self esteem;


* "Damaged goods" syndrome. i.e. negative body image due to self-blame. This may be intensified if physical pain was experienced during the abusive incidents;


* Dissociation from feeling;


* Social isolation;


* Relationship problems such as an inability to trust, poor social skills or a reluctance to disclose details about themselves;


* Self destructive behaviour such as substance abuse or suicide attempts;


* Sexual difficulties such as fear of sex or intimacy, indiscriminate multiple sex partners or difficulty in reaching orgasm;


* Parenting problems such as fear of being a bad parent, or fear of abusing the child or being overprotective;


* An underlying sense of guilt, anger or loss;


* "Flashbacks" and/or panic attacks.





See the link below for more on this topic. Good luck with your assignment.