childhood sexual abuse

Ten Ways Survivors May Overcome Suffering from Childhood Abuse

10 Ways Survivors May Overcome Suffering from Childhood Abuse

Suffering is a conditioned response to abuse. Those who have suffered abuse grow up believing there is no way out, they are trapped and unable to get the abuse to stop. However, adult survivors can learn to stop being self-abusive and can develop a different way to treat themselves. They can learn self-compassion, self-love, and how to learn to be patient with their recovery. It is important for survivors to remember not only that new behaviors take practice and happen slowly over time, but also to learn to pat themselves on the back for trying. … Read more

Ten Ways Survivors Suffer from Childhood Abuse

10 Ways Survivors Suffer from Childhood Abuse Lori Golden

When people grow up in childhood abuse, suffering is a way of life. It is a conditioned response to abuse; lies, threats and intimidation are part of the landscape as well as terror, shame, and helplessness. Survivors develop core beliefs such as we are worthless, unlovable and shameful. Survivors believe they are responsible for the adult’s abusive behavior resulting in self-hatred, self-blame, and a need to punish themselves. In order to change this suffering, survivors first have to recognize the ways they suffer. Only then can the work and healing process begin. Ten Ways Survivors … Read more

Trauma Triggers – Reminders of Childhood Abuse

Trauma Triggers - Reminders of Childhood Abuse

When people experience childhood abuse, memories of it surface at unexpected times. Reminders of the abuse, called triggers, can appear suddenly without warning. Something in the present reminds survivors of their abuse. Suddenly you are hyper vigilant and on alert. You feel anxious, afraid, tense, want to get away, trapped, suffocated or helpless to name a few. Prior to this incident, you seemed OK. Because you are caught off guard, you believe “I must be going crazy,” or that this reaction does not make sense. It is often disturbing and frightening. Unless you know what … Read more

Believing I was going crazy

Believing I was going crazy

This shows my feelings prior to my remembering the sexual abuse I experienced as a child. I didn’t know that I had amnesia so my symptoms of terror seemed crazy. I could not understand why I was so gripped by these fears particularly the paranoia of someone “going to get me.”

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impact Survivors Physically

Sexual abuse is felt as a physical assault whether or not physical contact is made. If an adult is leering children experience the effects internally as sensations in their body. In fear we hold our breath, tighten up, get anxious, numb out, deaden, feel flustered, feel tingly to name a few. Those are body sensations that are experienced while the leering sexualized assault is taking place . . . all feelings are felt in our bodies and directly effect us physically. HOW ABUSE AFFECTS YOUR BODY Sexual abuse is frightening and painful. Even when experiencing … Read more

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impact Survivors Psychologically

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impact Survivors Psychologically

Sexual abuse survivors develop coping mechanisms to survive not thrive. When safety is compromised, it is imperative that survivors protect themselves. The focus is in getting away from their bodies where the abuse is taking place. Natural childhood development is compromised. The Overall Way Adult Survivors Feel About Themselves When children live in fear and secrecy, they do not have a chance to develop good self-esteem. The nature of secrecy itself is damaging; often survivors believe that if anyone were to find out, they would be repulsed. Abuse leaves no room for a child to … Read more

Emergency Stage of Remembering

Emergency Stage of Remembering Childhood Sexual Abuse

YOU CAN HEAL … IT IS PAINFUL … IT TAKES TIME … YOU CANNOT DO IT ALONE IT CAN END AS LONG AS YOU MAKE A DECISION TO RECOVER Emergency Stage of Remembering As a survivor, I can tell you it gets better with time and there is an end. At first the pain feels intolerable and impossible to believe that it will end. Once you know you are a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, whether you always remembered or had amnesia, it is overwhelming and frightening, shocking and rattles to the core. It is … Read more

Maladaptive Dissociation

Maladaptive Dissociation

I reached a point in my recovery from Incest where I understood that dissociation no longer served me. As a child it was adaptive, as an adult, it was maladaptive.