Hello, My name is Erika. I am 25, I have an amazing little girl whom I love so very much. I am in college for nursing. I was sexually, physically, and emotionally abused as a child. I was raped at age 14 by a family friend. I feel like no one was around to protect me and it is really frustrating. I am ready to take control of my life again and stop living in fear of the emotions my past brings up. I just started going to therapy to talk about everything and while it is scary, I am excited to put it all behind me.

Hello everyone; just joined yesterday. I'm a 51 year old man. As near as I can tell, my needs for nurturing and mirroring were not met as an infant, which has given me a lifetime of codependency and identity issues. My parents were wounded children themselves who took out their unresolved rage on me, complete with beatings. They also demanded perfection and shamed me when I didn't live up to their expectations.

My first wife was verbally and emotionally abusive, and it wasn't until recently that I realized that she was a carbon copy of my father. I went into therapy the first time following my divorcing her, which involved some very transformative inner child, original pain work. I've been married four years to a wonderful lady who wants nothing more than to love me as I am and be close to me.

However, I still have unresolved issues that are causing damage to this marriage. I'm transferring my unfinished business onto my wife and it frustrates her. I'm seeing her as a negative source figure with no evidence to do so beyond my own triggers. I have recently come to realize that I need to go deeper into healing my inner infant (AND toddler, AND school age, etc.) and take care of the yet unfinished business so that I can move forward in this marriage and in life as the person I truly am.

It is encouraging yet at the same time sad to see so many others who have had pieces of our souls bruised when we were powerless. May we all find the wisdom, strength and insight to reclaim and restore our true selves.

I'm a 54 year old father of two. Divorced from their mom for over 10 years now. She is re-married. I have a lady in my life who I adore.

I was abused as a child - physically, emotionally, verbally. The abuse continued until I was almost 18.

I'm a freelance photographer. Health issues have been a plage to me.

I just wanna smile, laugh and have fun. My name is Ray.

im a single 30 year old who was abused in every way by my biological father and his friends. i have a lot of flashbacks and nightmares, but im working through them. my cat furby has saved my life more than once...he's my best friend and 'furry son'. lol. music is my life and i enjoy writing poetry.

Hi! my name is Kathy. I am 40 and have a 6 yr. old daughter. I've been married for 8 years. I was sexually abused by my uncle, who was about 10 years olders than me. It started when I was about 6 and ended when I was in the 4th grade and we moved away from that town. I hate my mom for choosing to protect her mom over protecting me. I want to be the best mom for my daughter and have talked with her about what is appropriate and what to do and who to tell if something does happen. I think knowledge is the most important thing for children.

Hi, I'm Audrey. I am 45 and have Bipolar1, Dissociative Disorders, PTSD, and a handful of personality disorders just for kicks. I'm not sure where to start as after 4 years of therapy we are just beginning to touch on the sexual abuse. My memories of anything before I was 13 are very sketchy.... I do clearly remember being molested by a stranger at the age of 8. I was flashed a couple of times, once by a man in a car asking for directions (I was 9) and once by a friends father (I was 12) but I'm not sure those count. My father is a pedophile and I know he abused a childhood friend of mine and he abused my cousin over an extended period of time. Whether or not he abused me I don't remember. I have been depressed since the age of 5 according to my mother. She will relate that I was a happy child until I was 5 then one day "you just stopped smiling, come to think of it you stopped crying too". I engaged in self harm and mutilation for about 6 months after I was molested and I firmly believed that God was punishing me for what my father did. You know, the sins of the father and all that.

I had wanted to do a less depressing intro but I'm pretty deep in a depression right now and I think this is the best I can do today.

I am usually a lurker and I'm not sure what I hope to gain from joining this group except maybe to not feel alone..... I kept my secrets until I was 21 and had my first "nervous breakdown", but have never really dealt with the issues until now. The name of your group is particularly apt. I have a picture of myself at about 6. Cute little girl with long brown messy hair and a smudge of juice on her cheek but she looks so lost and so sad........ I wish I could hug her but I'm not sure how..........

Hi my name is Marie, I am 42 and the mother of 2 teens and 1 married adult daughter. I seem to be on this never ending journey of "finding me".
Have in the last few years recognized and grown weary of the "wounded little girl" inside of me leading my life. Time for change, authenticity and freedom!

I am a 28 year old mother of four boys. We lost one of our boys in 2008 at 34 weeks into my pregnancy and since that happened, my past abuse has been sneaking up on me so I am trying to change my future.

I was molested by my stepfather from the age of 9-10 till I was 14. I didnt tell anyone until I was in 7th grade.

I currently blog about my experience as well www.livinginshame.blogspot.com

I am also enrolled in a adult childhood incest surviors group through RAAP and it has been helpful but hard

I am a 28 year old mother of four boys. We lost one of our boys in 2008 at 34 weeks into my pregnancy and since that happened, my past abuse has been sneaking up on me so I am trying to change my future.

I was molested by my stepfather from the age of 9-10 till I was 14. I didnt tell anyone until I was in 7th grade.

I currently blog about my experience as well www.livinginshame.blogspot.com

I am also enrolled in a adult childhood incest surviors group through RAAP and it has been helpful but hard

Hi, my name is cheryl, I was abused. people I love were also abused. I am also bipolar. thank you for being here.

I am 38 and a survivor of childhood sexual, verbal and physical abuse. I do not remember large portions of my childhood. I have my trigger moments and that is hard on my marriage. I have fibromyalgia and a Naturopath told me many of her fibromyalgia patients were sexually abused. It seems like the abuse never ends.......I saved my inner child when I cut off all relations with my family. I miss having a family but I am glad to be away from the one I came from.

Hi! My name is Karen; I'm 40 (that's the first time i"ve said that close to out loud... ack.). I was physically abused by my mother until I was about 15 (I was kind of her stress outlet), when I finally decided that I would not allow it anymore. Many years later, I was diagnosed with PTSD right after the birth of my son... it took several years after that, but I credit Jesus with healing me and giving me a life worth living. Forgiveness is an ongoing process - never-ending, since my mother is still a part of my life (the forgiveness is not for her benefit, really, it's for ME.) I have cervical degenerative disc disease and fibromyalgia; living with pain every day that may stem from the childhood beatings makes forgiveness difficult, but God gets me through every day, loving me, teaching me and blessing me with an awesome family and amazing friends. Thanks for giving me this opportunity for new friendships!

Hi, I'm Paula, I'm 46, and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and rape from the age of 8 to 13. I am quiet and shy and that sometimes makes me difficult to get to know but i will do my best. I am single, lonely and full of regrets from my past.
I like to read, i love to work in my little garden . I am currently recovering from a fall where i suffered a compoud fracture of my right leg and at the moment cant do a lot.
I have used counselling, and in recent years Reiki healing as tools in my healing journey. I am a member of a couple of survivor sites also which has helped. Talking really is the key to healing some of the pain
I hope I will make friends here, I am open to talking to both men and women.
thanks for reading

Hey everyone, i'm 24 years old. i was physically, sexually, emotionally, and verbally abused for many years in my childhood. After being threatened to be killed 4 times i fled the elderly house. Got homeless for 17 months, i was disabled for life. I suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and many other issues but with the help of innovative medical-, psychological-, science, therapy and above all my personal relationship with the God of the bible, i receive great insight, strength, and wisdom to get my life back to getter and make the best of it. I just hope to share positive insights from science and personal experience and at the same time learn from you guys. May you all be restored and find your life again.

Yours sincerely,

Seremity

how r u able to open up like this. i want to but i just got out andd i need guided in the right direction. i need help really bad. i havent even written anything and i am crying. i am 18 years old and my father was very very abusive.