Young girl B had an unplanned pregnancy at the age of 16. Two years later, she became pregnant again while dating a boyfriend she had just met, and she refused to change despite repeated persuasion. Meanwhile, young boy C dropped out of school at the age of 15. In order to make quick money, he took risks and was arrested. Even though he had been punished by law, he committed crimes again for immediate rewards.
Both young people, C and B, experienced poverty and violence during their developmental period, and lacked a sense of security, family warmth, and role models.
The most important task of the brain granted by nature for every creature is to adapt to any environment. The goal is to survive and pass on genes to the next generation. Children who grew up in a harsh environment always have their lives in danger, so it is natural for their brains and bodies to adopt a “fast life” strategy. Medical research shows that childhood trauma causes the body’s stress hormones to rise too high, which can lead to earlier first menstruation and sexual activity. This is exactly the genetic instruction to the brain and body to pass on the genes to the next generation as quickly as possible while the person is still alive. Also, imagine a child growing up in the following family environment: for today, the adults are in a good mood, so there is food on the table, but this moment can be fleeting. When the adults lose control of their emotions, food will suddenly be swept to the ground, and the refrigerator will be drained of its contents. In such an environment, the survival rule adopted by the little mind is “take as many resources in your sights immediately.” On the contrary, if the little mind grows up in a good environment, he will believe that he has a “slow life”, can trust others and society, and will naturally be willing to delay the satisfaction of the moment, work hard, abide by the law, and strive to build a better future for himself and society.
Therefore, it is worthwhile for society to invest sufficient resources to ensure that every child has a warm family, free from poverty or any form of domestic violence, and to help those who have been hurt by childhood adversity to deal with psychological trauma and provide practical support so that they can live in peace, find employment with dignity, and feel cared for by society. These social investments are based on the essence of human nature, fundamentally improving the long-term competitiveness of society and achieving long-term prosperity and stability.
Written by: Dr. William Chui
Originally posted on: HKEJ Health
Translated by: Cheuk Long Chan
