Mental Pain

Growing up in a home where there is addiction or relationship trauma puts a child at great risk for long-term, post-traumatic stress effects that adversely compromise adult relationships. Best-selling author, psychologist, and psychodramatist Tian Dayton examines this trauma through an exploration of the way the brain and body process frightening or painful emotions and experiences in childhood.

The act of caregiving is physically exhausting and emotionally draining, yet caregivers describe it as rewarding and gratifying. Prolonged exposure to human suffering, however, is not without risks - caregivers report high rates of burnout and poor quality of life.

In a pharmacy in Kermit, West Virginia, 12 million opioid pain pills were distributed in just three years to a town with a population of 382 people. One woman, after losing her brother to overdose, was desperate for justice. Debbie Preece’s fight for accountability for her brother’s death took her well beyond the Sav-Rite Pharmacy in coal country, ultimately leading to three of the biggest drug wholesalers in the country. She was joined by a crusading lawyer and by local journalist Eric Eyre, who uncovered a massive opioid pill-dumping scandal.

Traumatic experiences happen to nearly everyone, at some time, in some form. The aftereffects—depression, anxiety, addiction, panic attacks, insomnia, and more—can affect us for years or even a lifetime. But the brokenness following a traumatic event is never a life sentence. We are all changed by trauma, but we do not have to be defined by it.

She hadn’t told anyone. Not a single soul. Not one word about that night and what had been done to her had ever passed Maddy Malone’s lips. She’d thought about it at first - had been desperate, even frantic, to tell. But then had come the shame, and the intimidation from the boys who raped her - and the one who held her down.

Modern-day life can be extremely hectic and stressful for teenagers. We are constantly bombarded by people, and information flows through ever-present access to social media and a hectic pace of life. Social media can be great to get in touch with those close to us, but it can also bring higher levels of stress and anxiety. Mix in school and work stresses and any medical problems, and it can be difficult for modern day teens to cope.

What if you could activate or improve your body’s natural healing thanks to a few simple physical exercises? Just imagine those exercises reducing your body’s inflammation, anxiety, or chronic illness. How could it be possible? Simply thanks to the vagus nerve! If you never heard about vagus nerves, which are usually referred to in the singular, they are the longest and maybe the most important autonomic nerves in human body. Approximately the 80 percent of its nerve fibers drive information from the body to the brain.

I forgive you. Those three little words can improve your physical and mental health, release anger and resentment, and boost your overall well-being. Research shows that holding on to hurt is toxic to your mind, body, and spirit - increasing your chance of heart disease, inflammation, and depression. The solution is to forgive - but that doesn’t mean letting the person who hurt you off the hook!

"Untangling Trauma and Addiction" by Grace Monroe emerges as a poignant and transformative guide, offering a new perspective on the daunting challenges of addiction and trauma. With her unique voice, Grace Monroe transcends the traditional boundaries of non-fiction, providing a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relevant. Grace's journey, marked by her own battles and those of her loved ones, infuses this book with authenticity and heartfelt insight.

For thousands of years, scientists, philosophers, and self-help gurus have wrestled with one of the basic conundrums of human life: Why do we do the things we do? Or, rather, why do we so often not do the things we want to do? In You're a Miracle (and a Pain in the Ass), McHargue addresses these issues. We like to think we’re in control of our thoughts and decisions, he writes, but science has shown that a host of competing impulses, emotions, and environmental factors are at play in every action we undertake.

Can you really cure chronic pain without drugs, surgery, or therapy? Surprisingly, often the answer is yes. While chronic pain can have a physical cause, this book, written by a leading UK physiotherapist and chronic pain specialist, reveals how very real, even debilitating, pain can frequently be caused by our brain in response to repressed or avoided emotions as a result of current and even past experiences. This process is at the root of many common complaints.

For over 20 years, Jim Curtis has battled a mysterious chronic illness. He grew accustomed to living in pain, denial, and despair. But when traditional medical therapies didn't help, he sought answers elsewhere. He traveled the world and met a group of extraordinary people he calls the Stimulati - and what he learned from them ultimately changed his life.

The miracles of modern medicine - and our overreliance on prescription drugs and surgical procedures - have obscured the evolutionary ability of the body to heal itself, as Oxford University researcher Jeremy Howick explains in this groundbreaking book. Wealthy countries have become highly dependent on medical intervention: On average, one-fifth of all Americans, half of the elderly British, and two-thirds of older Canadians take at least five prescription drugs per day; their lives a nonstop ritual of pill popping and managing side effects.

Terrie had made it: She had launched her own public relations company with such clients as Eddie Murphy and Johnnie Cochran. Yet she was in constant pain, waking up in terror, overeating in search of relief. For 30 years she kept on her game face of success, exhausting herself daily to satisfy her clients' needs while neglecting her own. When she finally collapsed, she had no clue what was wrong or if there was a way out.

Trauma, abuse, childhood wounds, and toxic relationships have broken us. But there is no shame in brokenness. In fact, it’s in our brokenness where the healing power of Jesus comes to find us. Brave Enough to Be Broken is a biblical road map you can use to heal from the pain, the shame, and the regrets that have tried to steal your joy, so you can rest in the unconditional love, healing, and hope of Jesus.

U.S. Representative Adam Smith was successful by all measures, with a long, distinguished career in Congress and a loving marriage with children. Yet seemingly out of nowhere, his body and mind broke down to the point where every day was a relentless struggle to just keep moving. It’s a struggle millions of Americans know all too well. Would he be able to meet his responsibilities as a husband and father? Could he still maintain his breakneck professional schedule and continue to do his job well? He soon realized he couldn’t will himself well—he needed help.

The world is moving as fast as the speed of light. The technological revolution brings new researches and discoveries to the front, every day. Leaps have been taken in medicinal science. However, a lot still needs to be addressed when it comes to the diseases related to mind and nervous system. These include anxiety, epilepsy, depression, dissociative pain, etc. 

Few people will easily admit to taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others. But who doesn't enjoy it when an arrogant but untalented contestant is humiliated on American Idol, or when the embarrassing vice of a self-righteous politician is exposed, or even when an envied friend suffers a small setback? The truth is that joy in someone else's pain - known by the German word schadenfreude - permeates our society.

Why It's OK to Talk About Trauma is the book your brain, body and future self need to listen to. 1 in 2 people experience trauma at some point in their lives. Trauma can be a result of anything which causes fear, helplessness and horror. Broadcaster and abuse survivor Charlie Webster uses her own lived experience alongside advice from experts to create a companion for trauma survivors – a book that will help, explain, understand and navigate the impact of trauma on our lives.

What is it that causes you pain? Do you feel like you deserve a better life? Do you want to rekindle your sparkle and thrive again? In 11 simple but profound—plus three bonus—steps, Peggy Bareh has transformed many lives from barely surviving to thriving.