As horrible as it is to suffer acts of sexual abuse and sexual violence, many survivors find that the greater suffering come from reliving the experience day after day and year after year.
Many abuse survivors find that past abuse reduces their ability to live a full life. Some common problems:
- Fear of intimacy
- Inability to trust
- Poor self esteem
- Shame
- Low self-worth
- Difficulty in relationships
- Flashbacks
- Painful memories
- Control issues
Survivors often have trouble expressing their anger, or live in constant fear of the anger of others. Some survivors, on the other hand, find anger and violence extremely erotic. Other are raging alcoholics, and have trouble seeing the damage their outbursts have on the people around them. Another path survivors take is to become obsessed with suicide and death, or they spend their life in and out of depression. Many survivors remember being terminally shy and afraid as a child and, as adults, get very nervous when being watched. Extreme cases border on paranoia.
These are only some of the more obvious ways sexual abuse survivors “act out.” If you don’t see yourself in any of the above descriptions, but still feel that something happened to you, please continue to explore this possibility. Incest and sexual abuse experiences are as varied as there are humans on this planet, and not all damaging experiences ever involve actual sexual activity. Sometimes all it takes is one inappropriate touch or glance or inappropriate jokes, and a child can be permanently shamed.
Recovery involves creating a safe place to open up that history and see how it is affecting you now. Our experienced therapists offer that safe place and can support and guide you through your personal journey of healing.
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