Why Talking About Abuse Is a Mental Health Necessity—Not a Taboo

May’s Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to foster emotional safety and long-term healing. Especially now, it’s a time to realize that we don’t talk about abuse enough. Not in families, not in schools, and certainly not in public. Too often, it’s treated as a topic too uncomfortable, too messy, or too taboo to discuss. Especially with children. But this silence isn’t protecting anyone. In fact, it can cause further harm.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reminded that mental health should be more than therapy or meditation apps. We need to take it a step further and realize that  it’s about the conversations we do or don’t have. And when it comes to abuse, avoiding the topic doesn’t keep kids safe. “It keeps them uninformed, isolated, and unsure of what to do if something happens. Talking about abuse, in an age-appropriate, compassionate way, is a form of prevention. It’s also a lifeline for those living with the aftershocks of trauma,” shared Eran Zimrin, President and CEO of ELI, an organization that treats children and their families.

The Silence That Harms More Than It Helps

In many households and communities, the topic of abuse remains shrouded in silence. It’s avoided out of discomfort, fear, or the misguided belief that not talking about it somehow protects children. But silence, especially around trauma, isn’t neutral. It’s harmful. It can leave children confused, unsupported, and alone in their pain.

Mental Health Awareness Month offers an opportunity to rethink this silence. Conversations about abuse aren’t optional or peripheral to mental wellness are essential. “Discussing difficult topics, especially in age-appropriate and compassionate ways, can create space for prevention, support, and healing. It can also dismantle the taboo that keeps so many survivors suffering in silence,” recommends Zimrin.

Getting Help Is Strength, Not Weakness

While open conversations are crucial, professional support is often necessary to process complex trauma, especially in cases of abuse. In Israel, ELI,  The Israel Association for Child Protection, provides critical services to children and families impacted by abuse and neglect. ELI is the only national organization in Israel exclusively dedicated to addressing all forms of child abuse. Their trained therapists offer individualized trauma-focused care for children, teens, parents, and even entire families. For those in need, ELI offers a distress line and an online resource called the “ELI Purple Button,” which makes reporting and getting help more accessible. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness, it is a powerful and courageous step toward healing. These programs are possible in large part with the help of US-based individuals, Federations and foundations.

Talking Is Healing

Abuse leaves deep emotional scars that often go unseen. Its impact stretches far beyond the moment of harm as it affects self-worth, relationships, trust, and mental stability. Healing from such wounds requires acknowledgement and care. 

Therapists and mental health advocates agree that simply expressing what happened, or how something feels, can begin to lessen the weight. Even without solutions, speaking the truth aloud validates the experience and reduces isolation. Survivors of trauma often say that the moment they felt heard was the moment they began to heal.

One professional shared that when they feel overwhelmed, they turn to someone they trust—a friend, a sibling, a mentor. Talking openly becomes a way to process emotions and regain a sense of control. “No one should have to carry everything alone,” they explained. It’s a simple yet powerful reminder that connection is often the antidote to emotional distress.

Naming Emotions to Reclaim Control

There’s also strength in naming what one feels. When someone feels stuck in a spiral of anxious thoughts or heavy emotions, saying those feelings out loud, even to themselves, can shift the internal narrative. It helps externalize what might otherwise feel too big or abstract.

“I say it out loud: ‘I feel anxious.’ ‘I’m scared.’ ‘This is hard.’ This practice doesn’t make the feeling disappear, but it helps restore a sense of ownership and understanding over it.

Children need this modeling, too. When adults normalize talking about feelings, especially difficult ones, kids learn that emotions aren’t shameful. They learn that it’s okay to be scared, confused, or hurt, and most importantly, that they won’t be judged for expressing it.

Self-Belief as the Foundation for Resilience

For survivors of abuse, trauma often leaves lasting damage to self-worth. They may internalize blame, shame, or a belief that they are powerless to change their situation.  This is why building and restoring self-belief is a crucial part of mental health recovery.

Action Builds Momentum

When facing adversity or trauma, staying active—mentally or physically—can help prevent stagnation. Children benefit from this mindset as well. They need role models who show that it’s okay to feel deeply and still keep moving. They need to see that healing doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay—it means choosing to move forward, one step at a time.

Talking about abuse isn’t easy. But when it becomes part of the conversation, it creates room for healing. It tells survivors, both children and adults, that their stories matter. That they are not alone. And that there is no shame in speaking the truth.