The SALT TALK with Jermine Alberty
The SALT TALK w/ Jermine Alberty is a podcast dedicated to having conversations of healing and recovery surrounding topics of mental health challenges, addictions, spirituality, and guest will talk about how their work serves, affirm, loves, and transform those they encounter. Join us for each episode as we get salty.
The SALT TALK with Jermine Alberty
No Pain, No Gain: Breaking Free from the Prison of Pain
Pain isn't always a crucible for growth; sometimes it's an unbearable prison from which people desperately need escape. During National PTSD Awareness Month, we confront both the value and burden of suffering, especially the kind of trauma that makes people just want it to stop.
• Approximately 20% of adults globally live with persistent pain
• PTSD affects 6-8% of U.S. adults during their lifetime, impacting about 12 million Americans
• Women, veterans, first responders, and trauma survivors carry heavier burdens of PTSD
• Historical trauma shows how unbearable pain can drive people to desperate measures
• Four evidence-based approaches to healing: validation, professional treatment, mind-body interventions, and community connection
• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 support for anyone in crisis
• Let pain refine you, not define you
• Recovery is possible—you are not alone
If you're in crisis or know someone who is, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to chat with a trained counselor. The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to another episode of Assault Talk with Jerm ine Alberty. I'm your host, Jermine Alberty. Today's theme is no pain, no gain, but this isn't about glorifying suffering, especially when it becomes unbearable. In honor of June's National PTSD Awareness Month, we'll confront both the value and the burden of pain, and especially the kind of trauma that makes people just want it to stop. This is Jermine Alberty, and you're listening to the SALK Talk.
Speaker 1:For many, pain isn't a crucible, it's a prison. People with chronic pain or PTSD often say I just want relief, I want it to stop. This level of suffering is not a gateway to growth, it is an emergency. And can you imagine someone saying to you these words? I'd do anything, just silence the pain, even if nothing comes back, if you felt that that's valid, because pain has a way of breaking people, not building them, and that matters. And so I want to talk about this subject, about pain, because there are people who I talk to day in and day out that are just in severe emotional and physical pain and they just really want it to stop. Being an empath, my heart goes out to these individuals and I want to try to help resolve and help fix and try to do these different things, and one of the things I realized is that we have to address this issue not individually, but collectively, have to be a village one to the other. My friends, pain is widespread. In fact, research tells us that about 20% of adults globally live with persistent pain and that in the US, 20.9% of adults suffer some kind of chronic pain in 2021, and that 6.9% experienced high impact chronic pain that limited their daily life.
Speaker 1:June is National PTSD Awareness Month, and what we know is that PTSD affects many of our loved ones. In fact, it impacts between six to eight percent of US adults during their lifetime, with approximately about 3.5 percent of those adults experiencing it in any given year. That is about 12 million Americans overall. When we think about who is at risk of experiencing PTSD, what we know is that certain groups carry heavier burdens. Once again, research tells us that women report higher chronic and PTSD rates. That rate is 10 to 12% of women, versus 5 to 6% in men. We know that our veterans are reporting pain and post-traumatic stress. About 11 to 20% of Iraq, afghanistan vets reported post-traumatic stress disorder, 12% of Gulf vets, 13% of Vietnam veterans live with PTSD and first responders between 7% to 14.6% of them have PTSD. And civilian trauma also is another area where we see reports of PTSD from those who are survivors of assault disasters. Those are also risks.
Speaker 1:I found myself in 2023 in Washington DC at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, one of the Smithsonian museums, across a placard, if you would that read, we had 12 Negroes did willfully drown themselves and others starved themselves to death for tears their belief that when they die, they return home to their own country and friends. That was a quote by Captain Thomas Phillips of the Hannibal in 1694. My friends repeated unresolved pain, emotional or physical, can steal people away, and what we know is is that suicide rates among African enslaved people in the Middle Passage illustrate this horror. These weren't accidental deaths. They were acts driven by desperation, by enduring pain that became unbearable. You know, what's so important here is that sometimes pain can be so unbearable that we just wanted to end and we just want to go home. I believe we are made of three elements body, soul and spirit, and I believe the spirit comes from the Great One. I believe the spirit comes from the great one. I believe the spirit comes from who we call God and that sometimes in the midst of our suffering, we just want to go home, as these slaves wanted to just go home.
Speaker 1:My friends, I want you to know that you're not alone, friends, I want you to know that you're not alone. You are not alone, and I want you to know that your pain can lead to growth. Not every hardship builds us, but research on post-traumatic growth shows many who survive trauma reemerge with stronger relationships, purpose and spiritual depth when given support and tools. I want to repeat this again my friends, you are not alone, because I want everybody who's listening to this podcast, who will hear my voice, but if you know a friend, a family member, someone who is in pain, that you reach out to them and let them know. I might not be able to help resolve your pain, but I want you to know but with help pain can refine and reshape. Just shared with my son yesterday that we have to let our pain refine us and not define us. And I want to say that again, it's important that we let our pain refine us and not define us. And so I'm a man of science, I'm a man of research, I love to be able to present people with evidence-based approaches, but also keep in mind also our own cultural backgrounds and our own experiences, and so I know that what may work for one group or one person, but that work for all groups. So when I give these suggestions, if they work for you, that's great. If they don't work for you, hey, try something that does. But what we do know that there are four evidence-based approaches here that I want to share with you that can help you to move from pain to a healing, and the first one is validation and acknowledgement.
Speaker 1:It's so important that you do not live in your pain in silence. I need you to speak about that pain. I need you to talk to those that you trust. I need you to use my model of care, and my model of care is having a triple A team, that is, people who are accessible, assuring and affectionate. I want you to keep in mind my model. My model is, as I believe everyone should have a triple A team that comprises of people who are accessible, affectionate and assuring affectionate and assuring. That could be, once again, people within your peer circle family, friends, but also I want to encourage you to see a therapist. I want to encourage you to possibly join a support group. All these different things can help you to validate and acknowledge your pain. The other thing I want to encourage you to do is, please don't be afraid that as you seek that therapist or that other professional, that you also are adding in professional treatment. So number one is validation and acknowledgement. Number two is professional treatment.
Speaker 1:For PTSD, there is evidence-based treatment therapies like cognitive behavior therapy that can help you be able to reshape and reframe and rethink how you're managing your pain. There's also number three another strategy is mind-body interventions like mindfulness meditation. These can reduce pain's intensity by up to 50%, on par with morphine. So instead of just turning to some kind of medication or some kind of drug to try to reduce that pain, just mindfulness meditation can reduce pain's intensity. And then number four, lastly, it is community and connection. What we know has been part of trauma-informed peer groups, church support, community healing spaces all those things can help you reduce isolation and increase your resilience. I want you to hear that again. If you are in pain, I want you to not isolate yourself. We want to reduce isolation and we want to increase your resilience by you being connected to your community. So I want you to hear those four strategies again. Number one is validation and acknowledgement. Number two is professional treatments. Number three is mind-body interventions and number four is community and connections. My friends, I want to extend an opportunity for you to reflect right now and, if you're in a place where the pain is too much, I want you to take this moment to breathe and remind yourself that help exists Now.
Speaker 1:Earlier in this episode, I mentioned that there were individuals who died by suicide, and I want to let you know once again that you are not alone, because there is a number, three digits 988. Yes, 988. I want you to write that down, I want you to put it in your phone. What is 988? It is a lifeline. It is a suicide and crisis lifeline where they understand that life challenges can sometimes be difficult and whether you're facing mental health struggles, whether you are facing emotional distress, whether it is alcohol or drug use concerns or you just need someone to talk to, there are caring counselors that are there for you at 988-988-LIFELINE. And I want to reemphasize four words Once again you are not alone. If you go to 988-LIFELINEorg, what you'll see there at that site is the ability to call, the ability to text, the ability to chat, and even for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. There is options there for you at 988lifelineorg, or call 988 Lifeline. This Lifeline is available 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and your conversations are free and confidential. A lot of folks say so.
Speaker 1:You know what should I expect to happen when I call this? What's up? One first of all, you're going to hear a message that gives you service selection options. Then there's going to be some music. It's going to be played. You're going to be placed on hold while you're connected to a counselor, and there are Spanish language counselors available. There is LGBTQI plus services that are available If you are a veteran, for veterans. The phone will ring until a counselor can answer your call.
Speaker 1:So, step one you're going to get a message. Step two you're going to hear a message. Step two, you're going to hear some music on hold. Step three a counselor will say hello and introduce themselves. Step four your skilled counselor will ask you if you are safe. And number five, after they ask about your safety, your counselor will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide you support and share any resources that may be helpful. I think it's important. You didn't know. That's what's going to happen. Don't be afraid, Call that number. Those five steps are going to be going on to support you.
Speaker 1:My friends, I will say it again you are not alone. Once again, this June PTSD Awareness Month I want to extend to you an invitation this month that it's important to take a free PTSD self-screening online. Share it with a friend. Once again, I want you to talk openly and tell your story, because it could help someone else who feels alone. And once again, I want to encourage you to please reach out to your local clinic, to 9AA Crisis Line, to VA resources, because I want you to understand these three words Rebuilding is possible.
Speaker 1:I want you to understand these three words Rebuilding is possible. I want you to hear three more words Recovery is possible. I want you to hear these two words you matter my pain, my pain that I feel sometimes for others. I think so great, I think so much that I have a village that surrounds me, that supports me when I'm in pain. I want you to know that. Listen us.
Speaker 1:Healers also need healing too.
Speaker 1:So if you are a healer, talk to another healer and make sure you get your pain taken care of also.
Speaker 1:My friends, you have been listening to another episode of the Salt Talk with Jermaine Alptey, and I want you to know that no pain, no gain is not a mandate to endure all suffering. It's a reminder that pain, when met with care, community and courage, can lead to healing and wholeness. So may those in crisis find relief and may your stories invite connection, and may this PTSD Awareness Month shine hope in dark places. But June is a very special month for me. It's a month that comes with a bit of pain, because June 10th is the day my beautiful, lovely mother was born, and she would have been 68 years old this year. She passed away at the age of 55 and experienced a lot of pain during her life she also but experienced great love from her family and from her friends. So we dedicate this episode this month of June to my lovely mother, Brenda Rose Alberty. You are so loved, my dear mother and my friends. Thank you once again for listening to SALT Talk with Jermine Alberty.
.JPG)