Mistreatment of a child has been referred to as the tobacco production of mental health. Mirroring the way smoking directly triggers or causes predispositions for physical disease; early abuse can contribute to almost all types of mental illness. The most common form of abuse with 78.5% is neglect. Abuse is normally associated with other harmful factors in a victim’s life. Various studies have concluded that 80% of 21 years olds that were abused as children met the criteria for at least one or more psychological disorder (HSS, 2013) and that they were also more likely to have a substance disorder by their 18th birthday, which is …show more content…
If the abuse was severe, the victim may be traumatized and develop posttraumatic stress also known as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If the abuse occurred at a very early age and has been substantial, a personality disorder may have been triggered. Abuse can often result in poor self-esteem, which can lead to a lack of close and trusting relationships and/or body image issues. This can also lead to eating and sleep disorders, which can be seen as the victims attempt at self-control in one small part of life when they otherwise feel completely out of control and