NCJ Number
115862
Journal
Social Casework Volume: 69 Issue: 8 Dated: (October 1988) Pages: 505-510
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Victims of child abuse and neglect adopt intrapsychic coping strategies that endure into adulthood, some of these coping strategies relate to the abused victim's desire for invisibility, fasting, and an inanimate self.
Abstract
Whereas some children act out their distress, others distort their concept of self in an effort to find psychological hiding places. Unlike the acting-out children, these depressed, apathetic, overly compliant children are unlikely to be seen by therapists because their symptoms are not noticed. These severely abused children try to survive the reality of their situations by becoming invisible, because safety is a primary issue. These children may also try to overcome their neglect and emotional deprivation by 'feeding' those around them and fasting emotionally. Both of these adaptations are relational expressions. The child achieves a false sense of security and safety by becoming invisible or unworthy relative to others. The child's sense of self has been profoundly damaged. Psychotherapy with the adult victims of child abuse is challenging but also potentially rewarding, often requiring a long-term commitment from both client and therapist. 24 footnotes.