TREATMENT

Victims of childhood abuse seek therapy for a number of reasons, but rarely just because of the history of abuse. Many survivors minimize the effects of the abuse. Therapists see clients for eating disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders and more who have histories of abuse. It is important to help the client deal with the abuse as well as the psychological problems they report. Counseling in the form of individual and possibly group therapy can take two years or longer. The goal of undoing life-long damage can be very difficult because the damage pervades every aspect of the client, and because there may be physiological changes to the client that can't just be "counseled" away. Medication can be useful for the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other symptoms, but should never be dispensed in the absence of counseling for the root of the problem. Later the survivor may need to undergo couples or relationship counseling when he or she heals to the point of finding a long-term relationship. For children, play therapy and family therapy can be helpful.