Adverse Childhood Experiences

You have such a great attitude, Tazz. And a great sense of humor. Your family sounds much more colorful than mine.

That's really interesting about your adopted friend being obese and finding her natural mother was too. I do think genetics has a big part in it. I wonder if we'll ever really know in our lifetimes.

Love your kitty.  Is that yours?

Thank you.

Yeah, she's mine, or I'm hers. We haven't worked that out just yet. She wouldn't hold still long enough for the tiara to make the picture. LOL

She prefers to be called "your majesty" or "your royal highness" but her real name is Bebetha (pronounced bee-beth-a).

Sadly yes....

Did someone look into my childhood and say "Stacey we are using your childhood as the basis of our research" Dang thi****s hard, although I can now see when my weight spiraled out of control.. I have all 11 

Pretty sad wouldnt you say

11?  That's a whole lot of crap to overcome. It doesn't mean you can't. The way I'm choosing to look at it is that knowledge is power. Finding this study was like a light bulb going off in my head. Not because I have somebody to blame for my problems, because I've always blamed me. I just feel less alone in these issue, less strange and much more empowered.  And a whole lot of grateful that food is my only addiction problem. :)

It was Kaiser Foundation using patients in San Diego. It's on the CDC website too, if you're interested in reading more.
http://www.cdc.gov/ace/index.htm
http://www.acestudy.org/files/Gold_into_Lead-_Germany1-02_c_Graphs.pdf

(there are a ton of them if you google)

Yes alot to overcome and even the psyche lady I had to go to for surgery questioned alot about it and  decided that in the long run I am doing the best thing. you see, I am a survivor not a victim, what doesnt kill me makes me learn more and smarter. Yes all of these have happened at one time in my youth but who cares, I dont carry a grudge and I dont dwell on it long enough. I am one person  and the only person who can make me happy is me, so that is my goal.

Needless to say by the end of our 2 hour session (supposed to be 1) I knew her entire life story and was helping her how to manage an abusize teenager... I love helping people :)

 Yeah I got a lot of those except prison.
   Bottom line if no one takes care of a child's emotional states...even minimally...they will do what is necessary to take care of them themselves...survival...
  We all have the need to mood alter ...as adults we can find many ways to do it...besides drugs...
  sex..smoking..shoping ...rage...etc
  As a child the only drug available to me was sugar and I remember the day I became "aware" that I was "using" ...I was 7 and stealing chocolate from the cupboard....but  I was needed comfort long before then...my mom was an anorexic alcoholic...go figure ...and used to tell everyone to hide food from me when I was a toddler because she was afraid I would become fat.
 I really think that most of us use food for comfort and other things too but primarily for comfort or at least mood altering...or covering a feeling or another...
 For some it is a result of upbringing...poor eating habits...or portion control....
 But I am of the mind that many are in denial of their use of food as a drug because it is deeply rooted and if you they had to confront those issues it would be too much...
 I am a work in progress and yes...counting 30 some odd years in and out of therapy...and I STILL use food to mood alter and deal with feelings...
I thank God I am not an alcoholic or other drug abuser because I think I am one of those who would be dead...In a way my habit could have killed me but for this surgery and so far so good..
So that's my rant for this morning...thanks for posting this topic it is always relevant...SEAVIEW

You really said it when you talked about being glad you're not an alcoholic or drug abuser. That was my thought too. I got lucky when I picked the one addiction that would kill me slower than the others... food.

Not that I didn't try my hand at the others. Thankfully none of them stuck!

Lucky and grateful. That's me. :)

This is one of the reasons I do not drink or smoke. LOL. I have enough issues with food. There are so many components that comprise obesity and addiction is one of them (for some people). Seaview...you wrote it well. The good thing is we can care for ourselves NOW when we could not when we were children. I tell the adult me that the food helped me then and I actually appreciate that as it helped me cope....BUT this is no longer healthy for me and I continue to try to learn new ways to deal with my emotions. Sugar and carbs also affect our brain chemistry and depression and anxiety can be components as well. I am glad Panda that you feel supported by this additional info AND by your kind hearted therapist.

Blessings!!

~~Jennifer