Seven self-improvement Lessons
	Research Summaries Supporting Premises in this Web Site By Peter K. Gerlach, MSW

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      I further proposes that...

• most personal, family, and social stressors like obesity, depression, homelessness, crime, abuse, divorce, abortions, gangs, and addictions and some (many?) illnesses are promoted by this cycle.

• neglect and abuse by wounded, unaware parents promotes psychological wounds in young kids; and...

• one of six epidemic psychological wounds is reality distortion - e.g. minimizing and denying. The wounded, unaware American public needs to deny epidemic ineffective parenting and its wide-spread toxic effects, so there is no call for...

  • research to validate this [wounds + unawareness] cycle and its epidemic effects and costs, or...

  • meaningful legislation to (a) educate parents on the cycle and to (b) regulate childcare and reduce neglect.

      The independent research summaries below validate many of these premises, and demonstrate the current inability of respectable researchers and the media to understand and accept the cycle and its toxic impacts on persons, families, and our society. All summaries are taken verbatim from Yahoo online news digests, which reaches millions of people globally.

      If you're a media professional or Webmaster, please see this.

Recent Research Summaries and Media Articles

The summaries are grouped by seven self-improvement Lessons in this site.

LESSON 1 - Reducing Psychological Wounds

      These selected research reports support the premise that the unseen [wounds + unawareness] cycle is spreading and degrading the wholistic health of typical families and societies.

Grown Wounded Children (GWCs)

A rich source of research on early-childhood trauma can be found at the ACES (Adverse Childhood Events Study) Web site

• A 4-part YouTube presentation "The Bomb in the Brain" summarizing research studies on the self-reported toxic effects of "child abuse" over 50 years in typical men and women. The first video validates key claims in this Web site about the long-term effects of such trauma, and the vital need for public awareness.

• A YouTube video by 4 Human Nature experts describing research suggesting that early-childhood trauma can activate genes that may promote physical and/or mental problems.

• A YouTube video: TEDx Talk on Pulling Out the Root of Domestic Violence Against Children, by Robbyn Peters Bennett (ACES (member). Comments on the adverse long-term effects of physical violence on child development - specially spanking.

• How abuse and neglect affect brain development\

• News article describing typical GWC behavior (murder - suicide)

• News article describing typical GWC behavior (self-defacement, lying publicly)

• News article describing typical GWC behavior (a 23-year identity deception)

• Article: Personality set for life by 1st grade

• Psychology Today blog on our many selves

• Study: Early life violence tied to mental disorders

• How pre-birth environmental trauma affects unborn kids

• Agency: Schools helped (school-shooter) Lanza's mom 'appease' him

• NIMH report that US "mental health disorders" are increasing and more costly

• 2008 Time magazine/Yahoo article on Why Do the Mentally Ill Die Younger?

• Research summary: People with Mental Disorders Risk an Early Death

• Almost half of Americans aged 19 - 25 have "psychiatric problems"

• Report on "nudging' people to make more "rational" decisions

• How Early Social Deprivation Impairs Long-Term Cognitive Function

• Loneliness Is Bad for Your Health, Study Suggests

• Abuse Changes Brains of Suicide Victims

• Childhood ADHD may lead to troubles later on: study

• How childhood tauma can be mistaken for ADHD

• Spanking promotes adult mental-health problems

Excessive Shame and Related Self-neglect

• Widespread US self-neglect

• Self-esteem can be "fragile"

• Proposed reasons for keeping "bad habits" despite "knowing better"

• U.S. men's poor health

• Widespread binge eating in America

• Male eating disorders

• Opinion: Fat and Happy - Why Americans Don't Diet

• Americans not getting enough sleep, causing physical and mental problems (self neglect)

• The US ranks 16th amoung 132 countries in advance social progress

Addiction - (Self-medication of Inner Pain)

• Serious increases in US overweight and obesity

• Emotionally distressed people have a harder time losing weight

• Widespread U.S. "mind wandering" (false-self dominance and "fuzzy thinking"

• Alcoholism damages female brains faster than male brains

• Statistics on US Kids who live with an addicted parent

• 2009 Time article: Battling Addiction: Are 12 Steps Too Many?

• Is excessive Internet usage an "addiction"?

• Research: US kids start drinking alcohol at an early age

• 1 in 5 Young Adults Has a Personality Disorder

• Study: Surprising number of teens think they'll die young

Excessive Emotions

• Serious health risks of chronic anxiety in men.

• Anger and depression may promote heart disease and sudden failure

• Relaxing can stress some people

Media Unawareness

• Opinion - 8 Toxic Personalities to Avoid

• Nearly 40% of Europeans Suffer Mental Illness

• CDC study about US kids with "mental problems"

Wound Reduction (Recovery)

• Talk therapy can be as effective as drugs

• Having a life purpose can extend your life

LESSON 2 - Learn to think and communicate effectively

      In several years' of science-news watching, I have found almost no meaningful research reports on this vital topic. Implications (a) researchers don't see communication as an important topic, and/or (b) media science writers and editors don't see value in reporting such research.

• Staying Silent in Marital Spats (is) a Killer for Women

• The value of describing feelings (like grief-related sadness and anger)

• Avoiding Couple Karate - Lessons in the Marital Arts

Perspective: Over 80% of site visitors who respond to this poll say they are "extremely interested" in learning to communicate more effectively. Does that describe you?

LESSON 3 - Evolve a pro-grief family

• The health hazards of incomplete ("complicated") grief

• The value of describing feelings (like grief-related sadness and anger)

• Normal or not? When grief and depression mingle

• Is depression ever just depression?"

• Grief: The Price of Love - by Meredith F. Small,

• The Health Benefits of Tears - by Dr. Judith Orloff

• The similarity in symptoms of grief and depression

LESSON 4 - optimize your relationships

• Having a Supportive Mom Helps You Commit

• Divorce Hurts Health Even After Remarriage

• Will divorce increase your chance of dying?

• British research: unmarried families break up more often

• Declining U.S. divorce trends

• Traits of divorcing Australian couples / US government program supports marriage

• U.S. marriage is less about raising kids now

• Staying Silent in Marital Spats (is) a Killer for Women

• Will Divorce Increase Your Chances of Dying (Early)?

• 8 Toxic Personality Types to Avoid (from Lesson 1)

• An example of misguided marital advice in the media

• Another example: "Respect the heart of every successful marrige."

• Another example: "Love is not enough."

• Another example: "Prenuptial Cohabiting Can Spoil Marriage"

LESSONS 5 and 6 - High-nurturance Families  and Effective Parenting

• UCLA study on kids from "risky families"

• Questions from young people posted on a major Web portal

• Parents need to teach grade-school kids to avoid alcohol

• Two research summaries on teen depression

• Swedish research: childhood autism linked to parental mental illness

• U.S. parents' baby knowledge lacking, study finds

• Swedish research: the effects of divorce on kids

• How abuse and neglect affect brain development

• Summary reports on (a) maternal bonding and (b) its effects on later relationships

• Effects of Early Attachment on Childhood and Beyond

• Study on the toxic long-term effects of bullying.

• Report on "How Not to Raise a Bully - the Roots of Empathy"

• Study: Early life violence tied to mental disorders

• U.S. marriage is less about raising kids now

• Stress in Womb Can Alter Life Later

• Maternal anxiety can promote ecessive baby crying

• Mother’s Depression when Kids are Young Linked to Risky Teen Behaviors

• How childhood trauma could be mistaken for ADHD

• Many American teens expect to die young

• 2006 CDC findings about abuse and neglect of US infants

• Most "mental illness" starts by age 14

• Kids' docs urged to screen new moms for depression

• Research: US kids start drinking alcohol at an early age

• Childhood ADHD may lead to troubles later on: study

• Spanking promotes adult mental-health problems

• Frequent moves can damage a child's mental health

• How to talk to kids and teens about mental illness

• Want Kids to Do Better in School? Get Serious About Mental Health.

Pause and notice what your subselves are saying now. Did you get what you needed from reading this article? If not, what do you need? Who's answering these questions - your wise true Self, or ''someone else''?

                                           

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Updated June 02, 2015