0:00:12.248,0:00:13.515
Can anyone explain to me

0:00:13.515,0:00:16.756
why we spend millions[br]and millions of dollars

0:00:16.756,0:00:19.762
on educating about [br]drug prevention,

0:00:19.762,0:00:22.257
don't take drugs [br]because they're bad for you.

0:00:22.257,0:00:24.757
And allowing parents[br]to worry themselves sick

0:00:24.757,0:00:27.264
about will my child [br]get into drugs

0:00:27.264,0:00:29.528
because they mix[br]in a bad company.

0:00:29.528,0:00:31.780
They don't have [br]to worry at all.

0:00:32.240,0:00:37.530
People are addicted to drugs,[br]because of their pain.

0:00:38.250,0:00:41.265
So they are not going to do it [br]because they're in bad company.

0:00:41.265,0:00:43.511
It just because they have[br]suffered some trauma,

0:00:43.511,0:00:46.778
and it's not an easy thing [br]to solve and heal from.

0:00:46.778,0:00:49.031
Let's take an issue[br]that the last two speakers [br]

0:00:49.031,0:00:50.279
have both talked about:

0:00:50.279,0:00:51.761
mental illness.

0:00:53.211,0:00:56.510
Across a research, [br]academic search

0:00:56.510,0:01:01.250
over the hole of research [br]into this area in 2005:

0:01:01.250,0:01:06.501
69.9% of psychiatric inpatients,

0:01:06.501,0:01:09.257
with serious psychotic disorders,

0:01:09.487,0:01:11.022
you probably guessed,

0:01:11.022,0:01:14.770
yes all of them had suffered [br]from childhood trauma.

0:01:14.770,0:01:17.252
Bipolar disorder was mentioned.

0:01:17.252,0:01:21.503
82 to 86 % of people[br]with bipolar disorder,

0:01:21.503,0:01:24.746
have suffered from some[br]form of childhood trauma.

0:01:24.746,0:01:26.513
Border personality disorder:

0:01:26.513,0:01:28.548
90% have suffered.

0:01:29.238,0:01:32.251
Then let's talk about the one [br]that we have been million,

0:01:32.251,0:01:35.525
79 million dollars last year spent[br]on raising awareness of:

0:01:36.235,0:01:37.759
depression.

0:01:39.729,0:01:42.275
How many people [br]who suffer from depression

0:01:42.275,0:01:45.758
do you think have suffered[br]from childhood trauma or abuse?

0:01:46.238,0:01:48.768
80%, research tells us.

0:01:49.488,0:01:52.739
And how many of you here[br]have heard one word

0:01:52.739,0:01:55.277
about what's happened [br]in your childhood,

0:01:55.277,0:01:58.771
and might help you to heal [br]from your depression or anxiety.

0:01:58.771,0:02:00.270
So what we are doing,

0:02:00.270,0:02:03.762
raising awareness, so that we can[br]feed the pharmaceutical companies!

0:02:03.762,0:02:06.513
So that people can take[br]more medication!

0:02:06.513,0:02:08.253
Because after all in Australia,

0:02:08.253,0:02:12.277
we take more anti-depressants[br]than any other country in the world.

0:02:14.507,0:02:17.518
I work with survivors[br]of childhood trauma,

0:02:17.518,0:02:19.773
and I know from [br]my independent research,

0:02:19.773,0:02:23.519
that four years after [br]just a five-day program,

0:02:23.519,0:02:26.259
there is a highly [br]statistically significant —

0:02:26.259,0:02:27.512
can never say that word,

0:02:27.512,0:02:30.756
highly statistically [br]significant reduction in depression.

0:02:30.756,0:02:33.015
Six months after [br]a five-day program,

0:02:33.015,0:02:38.518
a 45% reduction,[br]in measured serious mental illness.

0:02:38.768,0:02:40.765
So what's the silence?

0:02:40.765,0:02:42.511
Why don't we talk about this?

0:02:42.511,0:02:45.002
Why we not allowed [br]to acknowledge childhood trauma?

0:02:45.002,0:02:47.508
Why we not encouraged[br]to heal from childhood trauma?

0:02:47.508,0:02:49.513
What we know,[br]because of neuro-plasticity,

0:02:49.513,0:02:51.269
that this is possible.

0:02:52.479,0:02:56.253
Let me discover one other [br]area of deep human sadness.

0:02:56.483,0:02:59.777
An area that we all[br]care passionately about,

0:02:59.777,0:03:02.531
and when it hits us,[br]it really, really hurts.

0:03:03.741,0:03:06.269
And I'm talking about suicide.

0:03:06.749,0:03:08.788
How agonizing it is.

0:03:09.498,0:03:11.255
The young women I work with

0:03:11.255,0:03:12.540
at Heal For Life;

0:03:12.760,0:03:15.257
I have one common complaint[br]when they go to hospital

0:03:15.257,0:03:17.269
having tried to kill themselves:

0:03:18.499,0:03:21.497
nobody ever asks why?

0:03:21.777,0:03:23.063
And if they did

0:03:23.063,0:03:26.507
they will get the same answer[br]from all those young people.

0:03:26.757,0:03:29.518
Because of my internal pain[br]from my childhood.

0:03:29.518,0:03:32.263
Because I think I am worthless,[br]I worth nothing.

0:03:32.263,0:03:35.270
Because no one cares [br]about the fact that I've been abused.

0:03:36.240,0:03:38.503
And if I look at them, Esperance

0:03:38.503,0:03:39.791
which in the Central Coast

0:03:39.791,0:03:42.515
runs a wonderful suicide [br]prevention service.

0:03:42.745,0:03:44.522
Tony Humphrey,[br]wrote to me and said,

0:03:44.522,0:03:48.237
"Around 90% of all the women,

0:03:48.237,0:03:49.531
who have attempted suicide

0:03:49.531,0:03:50.767
who I have worked with,

0:03:50.767,0:03:53.228
have ever suffered [br]from sexual abuse

0:03:53.228,0:03:55.535
or child abuse of some type.

0:03:55.535,0:03:58.499
And a slightly lower [br]percentage for the men."

0:03:58.499,0:04:00.029
So have any of you,

0:04:00.029,0:04:03.071
ever seen anything [br]about suicide prevention,

0:04:03.071,0:04:06.261
which is talked about[br]what happened in your childhood?

0:04:06.261,0:04:08.974
Has there been a campaign[br]which has said,

0:04:09.494,0:04:11.266
"Ask a friend [br]when they're down.

0:04:11.266,0:04:12.764
What happened[br]in your childhood?

0:04:12.764,0:04:14.508
Talk to me about [br]your childhood.

0:04:14.508,0:04:17.507
Because that is [br]very, very likely,

0:04:17.507,0:04:20.525
to have an impact[br]on your current mental well-being."

0:04:21.765,0:04:24.050
So maybe for a moment [br]some of you maybe think

0:04:24.050,0:04:26.757
"What she keeps talking [br]about childhood trauma and abuse?

0:04:26.757,0:04:28.491
What actually is it?

0:04:28.491,0:04:31.523
Childhood trauma [br]covers a huge spectrum.

0:04:31.523,0:04:33.760
It covers abandonment,[br]death of the parents,

0:04:33.760,0:04:35.256
alcoholic parents,

0:04:35.256,0:04:37.271
childhood sexual abuse,[br]physical abuse,

0:04:37.271,0:04:38.761
emotional abuse.

0:04:39.481,0:04:42.775
It covers of course[br]natural disasters.

0:04:43.485,0:04:45.774
What happens[br]when a trauma occurs?

0:04:45.774,0:04:49.265
A trauma is more emotion [br]than the brain can deal with.

0:04:50.225,0:04:52.506
Trauma, at the time it is happening,

0:04:52.506,0:04:55.510
the person,[br]in an age-appropriate way

0:04:55.510,0:04:57.767
thinks that their life is threatened.

0:04:57.767,0:05:01.055
And the brain reacts to this trauma

0:05:01.055,0:05:02.271
and develops differently,

0:05:02.271,0:05:06.512
which is why childhood trauma[br]has a much bigger impact on behavior later

0:05:06.512,0:05:09.277
and the whole way the brain [br]operates later in life.

0:05:09.727,0:05:12.243
Trauma cannot be remembered.

0:05:13.243,0:05:15.065
Let me give you[br]an example of this,

0:05:15.065,0:05:16.749
and that's because [br]the conscious brain[br]

0:05:16.749,0:05:19.777
shuts down during trauma.

0:05:19.777,0:05:22.247
You may remember[br]or you may not.

0:05:22.247,0:05:23.532
Princess Diana's bodyguard,

0:05:23.532,0:05:27.256
after they were try to find out [br]what actually happened in the accident,

0:05:27.256,0:05:28.518
they hypnotized,

0:05:28.518,0:05:30.518
the French police [br]hypnotized the man [br]

0:05:30.518,0:05:32.257
so that he could remember.

0:05:32.257,0:05:34.498
So that part of his brain[br]could be unlocked.

0:05:34.498,0:05:38.519
So that he could say what actually[br]happened at that moment of impact.

0:05:40.499,0:05:42.250
So I suppose[br]my great wishes

0:05:42.250,0:05:44.562
that this silence[br]could be broken.

0:05:45.502,0:05:48.766
And I have hope that[br]this silence can be broken.

0:05:49.246,0:05:50.775
Because 40 years ago,

0:05:50.775,0:05:52.790
there was the big C,

0:05:52.790,0:05:54.481
there was cancer.

0:05:54.481,0:05:56.245
No one talked [br]about cancer,

0:05:56.245,0:05:57.538
we didn't mentioned it,

0:05:57.538,0:06:00.501
it was just,[br]"They have got the big C!"

0:06:00.501,0:06:01.782
But now wonderfully[br]

0:06:01.782,0:06:03.167
everyone talks about cancer.

0:06:03.167,0:06:05.240
We know people [br]who have suffered from cancer.

0:06:05.240,0:06:07.531
We talk to them, [br]we encourage them, we love them,

0:06:07.531,0:06:10.261
and they tell us immediately[br]when they have cancer.

0:06:10.491,0:06:12.521
Can you imagine how it would be,

0:06:12.521,0:06:14.527
if in my lifetime —[br]this is my longing,

0:06:14.527,0:06:16.766
that people talk [br]about childhood trauma.

0:06:16.766,0:06:18.532
That is Ok to say,

0:06:18.532,0:06:21.358
"I had a terrible childhood.[br]All these things happened."

0:06:21.358,0:06:23.043
And the other [br]person listening says,

0:06:23.043,0:06:25.765
"Let me support you. [br]Let me help you in your healing.

0:06:25.765,0:06:28.517
Let me help you[br]work through what is happened

0:06:28.517,0:06:30.269
for the development of your brain,

0:06:30.269,0:06:32.779
because you suffered[br]from childhood trauma."

0:06:33.749,0:06:36.511
Wouldn't that be [br]a better world for all of us?

0:06:36.511,0:06:38.537
Because what is creating [br]this silence?

0:06:39.487,0:06:41.492
Is the embarrassment?

0:06:41.492,0:06:43.270
Is it shame?

0:06:43.270,0:06:44.782
Are we shamed by the stigma?

0:06:44.782,0:06:46.363
Because we are not allowed to know

0:06:46.363,0:06:49.280
when there is a rape victim,[br]the name of the rape victim.

0:06:49.280,0:06:52.784
As if in some way [br]that rape was their fault!

0:06:53.494,0:06:57.508
Why is it that all the concentration [br]is on stranger danger,

0:06:57.508,0:07:01.271
and church abuse?[br]When that's about 1% of all abuse!

0:07:01.271,0:07:05.491
Abuse happens in the home[br]and it happens to families.

0:07:05.761,0:07:08.256
But every single one of you here,

0:07:08.256,0:07:10.285
can help change that.

0:07:10.455,0:07:14.274
If each one of you [br]help me in my big idea.

0:07:14.274,0:07:15.279
If each one of you[br]

0:07:15.279,0:07:17.791
who's actually suffered[br]from childhood trauma says,

0:07:17.791,0:07:19.770
"I have no reason [br]to be ashamed of it.

0:07:19.770,0:07:21.779
It wasn't my fault.

0:07:21.779,0:07:24.784
It wasn't my fault[br]for my childhood was not perfect.

0:07:24.784,0:07:27.294
And I deserve[br]love and support."

0:07:27.484,0:07:29.456
If those of you when you meet,

0:07:30.256,0:07:35.250
someone who's addicted [br]from gambling, alcohol, drugs,

0:07:35.740,0:07:36.789
if you say them,

0:07:36.789,0:07:38.530
"Hey, has anyone [br]ever discussed with you

0:07:38.530,0:07:40.265
what happened[br]in your childhood?

0:07:40.265,0:07:44.543
Do you think you might like [br]to heal from your childhood?"

0:07:44.753,0:07:47.031
If only with any moment[br]the mental illness

0:07:47.031,0:07:48.507
you could say them not just —

0:07:48.507,0:07:50.742
which is a wonderful campaign,[br]but, "Are you Ok?"

0:07:50.742,0:07:52.256
but, [br]"Hey do you want to talk about

0:07:52.256,0:07:53.773
what happened[br]in your childhood?

0:07:53.773,0:07:56.522
Because I understand an awful[br]lot of people with mental illness

0:07:56.522,0:07:58.784
have suffered from some form[br]of childhood trauma.

0:07:58.784,0:08:00.505
Talk to me about it.

0:08:01.255,0:08:03.531
Every single one of you[br]could do that.

0:08:03.531,0:08:06.766
Every single one of you[br]can help me achieve my big idea.

0:08:06.766,0:08:08.275
Every single one of you

0:08:08.275,0:08:10.520
can get involved [br]with the Heal For Life foundation,

0:08:10.520,0:08:13.769
and help us to make this world [br]a happy place.

0:08:14.729,0:08:17.261
I leave you with[br]one final thought.

0:08:18.751,0:08:21.769
I wonder what it would [br]have happened to this world,

0:08:22.489,0:08:25.053
if someone[br]had healed Adolf Hitler,[br]

0:08:25.053,0:08:27.520
from his much acknowledged [br]child abuse.

0:08:27.520,0:08:28.524
Thank you.

0:08:28.524,0:08:30.245
(Applause)