Late last month, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy convened a round-table discussion to solicit input on
potential solutions to the issue of gang violence in New Haven. In attendance was Yale Child Study Center researcher Steven Marans, who shed light on the prevalence of post-traumatic stress and similar disorders in urban environments, where men, women and children are repeatedly exposed to potential sources of mental trauma like violence, gang activity and abuse.
Marans directs a clinic at the Child Study Center that seeks to treat at-risk individuals early on in their lives and repeatedly throughout, before they have a chance to spiral down dangerous path involving guns, drugs and alcohol. His work falls in line with that of many others nationwide, who are attempting to zero in on potential solutions that may create a more stable lifestyle for inner-city residents.
“The outcomes of not recovering from trauma, which include PTSD and depressive and anxiety disorders, are also at the root of drug and alcohol abuse and inability to sustain healthy relationships,” Marans said. “As they get older, these outcomes can interfere with learning and academic achievement.”
Marans added that, in general, allowing these disorders to go untreated inhibits a patient’s ability to truly achieve independence and autonomy. This can result in their decision to join gangs, in which youth can find ways to cope with a negative mental state through promises of inclusion and belonging, he said.
http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2014/04/03/study-probes-impact-of-trauma-on-community/
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