5 TED Talks for Anyone Struggling with Trauma or Addiction
When people go through hard times many choose to retreat and go it alone. It can seem easier to keep your issues to yourself. Sometimes we think, well I don’t want to bother anyone else with my problems. Or, I’m ashamed of my actions. Or maybe, I’ve leaned on my friends and family too much, I need to handle this by myself. For a person struggling with addiction, this is a dangerous time.
One of the main principals of ARISE® is that by empowering families and communities to access their resilience, they can overcome even the worst crisis and not only survive, but thrive.
Here are 5 Ted Talks that share why it’s better to surround yourself with community, instead of hiding in our pain and struggles. Everyone can learn how to access their resilience.
1. Family Stories, Secrets and Survival
Dr. Judith Landau at TEDxVailWomen
Dr. Judith Landau tells the story of trauma and recovery through generations and gives clues along the way for healthier families. Trauma is inherent to the human condition. The key to whether one experiences destruction or empowerment in the wake of trauma lies in how we relate to our trauma — the intergenerational stories we tell, the secrets we keep, and the way those stories are framed. The health of future generations is more dependent on the stories we tell today than we may be aware. At this crucial juncture in the human story, the choice to draw upon feminine values and principles in relating to our stories, could be the difference that saves our children.
2. Everything You Know About Addiction is Wrong
Johann Hari
Johann started his research because he was wondering how he could help his own family members struggling with addiction. What he discovered coincides with what we at the ARISE® Network talk about. When a person has an addiction, the worst thing you can do for them is to put them into seclusion. Evidence shows that when supported by a community and being reconnected with society more people are able to get clean and live a happy and healthy life.
3. How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime
Nadine Burke Harris
Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris talks about the science behind trauma and overall health, including mental disorders, substance abuse and even heart disease. She noticed that the children she was seeing in her clinic, who were predominantly exposed to higher doses of adversity, were dealing with serious health issues. “[She] explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer.” She talks about the need to get to the root of the problem early so these children can break the cycle.
4. What Trauma Taught Me About Resilience
Charles Hunt
Charles is no stranger to trauma. He openly shares his personal experiences of growing up with a father in prison, a mother addicted to drugs and the loss of many family and friends. Charles believes that resilience is one of the most important traits to have and that everyone has it, we just need to learn how to access it. And we agree, it’s one of the core beliefs of the ARISE® Network!
5. How to Practice Emotional First Aid
Guy Winch
Guy believes that many of us know how to take care of ourselves when we have a physical problem, but when it comes to problems of the mind, we don’t take it seriously. When we get a cut, we put a band-aid on it. But when we experience a psychological injury, we tend to ignore it, allowing it to get worse. Guy says “how many times have you heard someone say, “Oh you’re feeling depressed? Just shake it off, it’s all in your head.” Would they say the same thing to someone who broke their leg? “Oh shake it off, it’s all in your leg”. Guy believes we need to start practicing emotional hygiene and take care of our minds as well as we take care of our bodies.
