Physical & Emotional Abuse Support Group
Abuse is a general term for the treatment of someone that causes some kind of harm (to the abused person, to the abusers themselves, or to someone else) that is unlawful or wrongful. No one deserves abuse, period. Abuse can be emotional, physical, or sexual.
I have been doing a lot of work in therapy and with Melanie Tonia Evan's program. And I must say I have made a lot of progress.
I feel so empty and aged. When I look in the mirror, I don't recognize the face looking back at me. I want to move on with my life but I realize I still have a lot of work to do before that happens. So much has happened to me by the hands of others that I find it hard to trust people. Therefore I have adapted to being an introvert.
I feel stuck. I don't see how can I have a normal life. Although I want to share my life with a good man and have good friends, I don't know if this will be possible. I don't want people knowing about my past because I don't want to be treated like a plague, be unfairly judged and/or have a target on my back for more abuse.
Does anyone else feel this way? How were you able to make a new life for yourself?
I feel so empty and aged. When I look in the mirror, I don't recognize the face looking back at me. I want to move on with my life but I realize I still have a lot of work to do before that happens. So much has happened to me by the hands of others that I find it hard to trust people. Therefore I have adapted to being an introvert.
I feel stuck. I don't see how can I have a normal life. Although I want to share my life with a good man and have good friends, I don't know if this will be possible. I don't want people knowing about my past because I don't want to be treated like a plague, be unfairly judged and/or have a target on my back for more abuse.
Does anyone else feel this way? How were you able to make a new life for yourself?
The people that would judge me, are definitely in the later group.
For me, it wasn't about learning to trust others...it was about learning to trust myself.
For you, i come from narcissism and
Have survived then had a normal seeming
marriage until he got nasty then it became
Toxic.
I go to alanon, divorce care and have a
Good drug and alcohol therapist. Alanon
Has let me change and grow on the inside.
I now have self love and acceptance and
Have a strong faith in God.
I am still a work in progress and it takes time
Sending you loving hugs
((((( jay lady)))))
And I also think to myself "how would I treat someone who had been where I've been - wouldn't I treat them with the utmost gentleness and understanding?" It's hard not to be afraid of people judging us because of our past but if you really think about it, what kind of person would do anything other than respond with compassion? Someone who's really not worth being around, that's who.
(((hugs)))
I've been working at reaching out to others, very slowly and in baby steps. If I call one friend it's a good day. I've made a couple of efforts to meet an acquaintance for lunch or coffee in efforts to get to know them better. One cancelled and I never followed up. Still working at that!
I plan to attend Al Anon and the divorce care group in my town meets once on Wed. evenings, and as soon as I don't have some sporting event with my kids, I plan to try that out.
I keep thinking about volunteering at my local animal shelter but haven't done anything about that.
I'm also forced to interact with people daily in my job as a realtor. Somehow I just turn it on when I have to, be cheerful and I always feel better after I've connected with someone. But the first time I meet with them I always experience anxiety, and I'm aware of it, and I just have to move through it.
In my case, my therapist helped me realize that in order to go forward and file for divorce, I need other connections. I feel like I'm losing my only "friend" by severing the connection between my husband and I.
In addition, I hope that your journey with your support groups gives you more positivity in your life as well as peace.
At first I felt horrible and I wanted to hide because I realized how much I have been through and how much I did not stand up for myself which caused me a lot of harm. Then I started doing more work on myself and listening to experts in the field of abuse, low self-esteem & low-confidence and I realized I did the best I could at the time with what I knew. In addition, I was operating on my previous programming or as one expert called it childhood brainwashing. This made me feel a little better and more accepting of myself and my past as well as journey.