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How childhood stress can impact mental health in adulthood [ADN.com]

 

Extreme stress and young brains are a bad combination, something that sets in motion feelings and behaviors that can haunt us long into adulthood.

And just in time for the school year, a new study may help explain why.

The Duke University study used neuro-imaging to look at the biological effect of childhood stress on the adult brain. It's important research, because it parallels existing knowledge about the relationship of stress to unhealthy behavior.

For families, the timing is important because it comes at the start of the school year, which offers a concrete way to think about pouring as much into kids as we can to help them grow into the most amazing young adults possible. If childhood stress is the ailment, caring and supportive relationships are a potent antidote.

Parents, family members, coaches, teachers, nurses and neighbors all have the opportunity to be a person who makes a difference through nothing more than being someone a kid can trust and rely on, someone who believes in and encourages them, and who offers kindness and love.

The large, California-based Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, or ACES, has for years helped educate families about the lasting impact of childhood abuse and neglect.

[For more of this story, written by Jill Burke, go to http://www.adn.com/opinions/20...health-in-adulthood/]

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