If you haven't yet seen it, your desire for good health as you grow older demands that you take a look at the Ace Study at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/ACE/  It may save your life. The ACE Study is an ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente.  Led by Co-principal Investigators Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, and Vincent J. Felitti, MD, the ACE Study is perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind, analyzing the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma (ACEs), and health and behavioral outcomes later in life.  In short, your physical, emotional, and mental good health are all tied together.  If you experience a childhood trauma, which impacts your emotional and mental health, that trauma, left untreated, weakens your immune system leaving you vulnerable to serious, life-threatening health problems as you grow older.  Obesity, COPD, Diabetes, neurological disorders, cardiovascular problems and even cancer can develop when you least expect it.  If you get proper treatment for child abuse problems you can change that path.  When I say "proper" treatment I don't mean go to a therapist and all will be well.  Not all therapists are created equal.  What you need is either a child abuse specialist or someone who believes in returning to the scene of the crime.  Your abuse must be talked about.  Only in telling your story will you begin to lance the wound that your trauma brought. You must do this at as early an age as possible.  The more time you give your wound to become infected the more vulnerable you are to diseases. Lance that wound.  It won't be easy.  But compared to the health problems waiting for you if you don't, it will be easy.  And I promise you, if you get on the right path towards total wellness, your life will change dramatically.  When I started recovery I was married to my third abuser, suicidal, filled with despair and living part of the time in a woman's shelter.  By the time I finished recovery my motto was: "If I'd known life was going to turn out this good I would have started it sooner."  You too can have this as your motto.  I strongly recommend three things:  a therapist who is a child abuse specialist, a 12 step program and the REPAIR program.  the book, REPAIR Your Life: A Program for Recovery from Incest & Childhood Sexual Abuse is available on Amazon.com.  Buy it now, start working the program.  I did and today I'm the happiest person I know.