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Sexual trauma is something no one should have to experience, but it happens more often than many people realize. According to national data, millions of people in the United States have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. And while the emotional impact may be talked about, the long-term health effects are less understood.
Both the mind and body can be affected by sexual trauma, and the effects can last for years if they aren’t addressed. Here are some symptoms to look out for, as well as what you can do to help improve your physical and emotional health.
How Sexual Trauma Affects Mental Health
One of the most common long-term effects is ongoing stress. After a traumatic event, the body stays on high alert. Over time, this can lead to conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.
You might notice symptoms such as:
If these symptoms last more than a few weeks or begin to interfere with daily life, talk to a health care professional. Help is available and healing is possible.
Physical Health Can Also Be Affected
Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind. It can show up in the body as well. Research shows that people who have experienced sexual violence may have higher rates of chronic pain, headaches and digestive problems.
Long-term stress can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. Some survivors also struggle with changes in appetite, sleep problems and difficulty managing weight. There may also be gynecologic or sexual health concerns, including pelvic pain or difficulty with intimacy.
Regular medical care is important, even if talking about past trauma feels uncomfortable. You can tell your provider only what you feel ready to share.
Signs Something May Be Wrong
It can be hard to connect current health problems to past trauma. But certain signs may suggest that deeper support is needed. These include:
Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Health
Healing looks different for everyone, but these steps can support your mental and physical health:
Sexual trauma can have long-term health effects, but it doesn’t define your future. With the right care and support, many people go on to live healthy and meaningful lives. Reaching out for help is a powerful step toward healing.
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Melissa graduated from Nevada High School and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University in Manhattan KS in 2006. She dedicated her career to helping troubled and special needs youth. Her work included serving as a Youth Crisis Case Manager at Gulf Coast Center in Angleton, Texas, as well as a Behavioral Health Specialist and Admissions Coordinator at Heartland Behavioral Health in Nevada. While raising her children, she also worked as an autism paraprofessional in the Manhattan, Kansas, school system.
Melissa found joy in life’s simple pleasures. She loved fishing and camping, and she had a passion for crafting. She especially enjoyed making shirts and handmade items for others, as well as painting, wood burning, and building small crafts.
Melissa was previously married to Joseph Miller of Nevada, Missouri, and together they had three children: Tritteny, Micayla, and Brandon, who were the center of her world. She later married Chad Roberts and Josh Brown. She was unmarried at the time of her passing.
She was preceded in death by her father, Warren Coltharp Grove; one half-sister Esther Chastain; her grandparents, Belva Chanove and Otis Wright; her stepfather, James Taylor; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Melissa is survived by her children: Tritteny Miller of Butte, Montana; Micayla Miller of Nevada, Missouri; and Brandon Miller of Nevada, Missouri; her mother, Andrea Gail Jaume (Michael Jaume Sr.) of Alvin, Texas; her stepsister, Kelsey Jaume; her stepbrother, Michael Jaume Jr. (Carrie); her grandmother, Thelma Wright of Lamar, Missouri; two half-sisters, Heather Cassell and Lytha Coltharp-Davis and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Services will be announced at a later time.