Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Physical_Emotional_Abuse/forum/13611741-sexual-assault
the above link is to a post i did in jan. in the abuse group. i have since realized that i was indeed sexually assaulted, i never told anyone prior to reading that book. i never dealt with it before that. even now, the only people in my life who know are my therapist, my best friends, my sister, and my dad. although my dad doesn't know details.
i called a local prayer line on saturday to request prayer. i explained my mental health issues and that i was assaulted. the man on the other end said, "you were raped?" i said no, and he said, "so nothing happened to you?" i tried to explain it again to no avail. he told me to "forgive and forget" and "give it to god". he also said if i don't, "it will mess up my life". he also suggested i try talking to my pastor and downplayed the helpfulness of me seeing a christian counselor. he did pray with me, but he seemed to pray for what HE wanted or on the basis of his advice to me. he seemed to blow me off. i hung up feeling more lonely, hopeless, and hurt than i had before.
i am a christian and i whole-heartedly believe in the teachings of the bible. i know i must reach a place of forgiveness eventually. i also believe my heavenly father understands where i'm at emotionally and psychologically at the moment.
i am not mad at the man. i am mad and hurt by his ignorance. yet, i understand that many people of faith have an incredible amount of misunderstanding concerning psychology and mental health issues. it seems to me that many people of faith seem to discredit the mental health industry and seem to not want to deal with mental health issues. from what i can gather, many people within the body of christ want to chock mental health problems in the church up to having a spiritual root. while many (not all) professionals in the mental health industry want to medicate and diagnose while totally ignoring a person's faith in the course of treatment. this is why i want to become a christian therapist. i don't think the two should be polar opposites, sorry. i sort of rambled. it's just i'm really hurt and i have a passion for psychology.
the above link is to a post i did in jan. in the abuse group. i have since realized that i was indeed sexually assaulted, i never told anyone prior to reading that book. i never dealt with it before that. even now, the only people in my life who know are my therapist, my best friends, my sister, and my dad. although my dad doesn't know details.
i called a local prayer line on saturday to request prayer. i explained my mental health issues and that i was assaulted. the man on the other end said, "you were raped?" i said no, and he said, "so nothing happened to you?" i tried to explain it again to no avail. he told me to "forgive and forget" and "give it to god". he also said if i don't, "it will mess up my life". he also suggested i try talking to my pastor and downplayed the helpfulness of me seeing a christian counselor. he did pray with me, but he seemed to pray for what HE wanted or on the basis of his advice to me. he seemed to blow me off. i hung up feeling more lonely, hopeless, and hurt than i had before.
i am a christian and i whole-heartedly believe in the teachings of the bible. i know i must reach a place of forgiveness eventually. i also believe my heavenly father understands where i'm at emotionally and psychologically at the moment.
i am not mad at the man. i am mad and hurt by his ignorance. yet, i understand that many people of faith have an incredible amount of misunderstanding concerning psychology and mental health issues. it seems to me that many people of faith seem to discredit the mental health industry and seem to not want to deal with mental health issues. from what i can gather, many people within the body of christ want to chock mental health problems in the church up to having a spiritual root. while many (not all) professionals in the mental health industry want to medicate and diagnose while totally ignoring a person's faith in the course of treatment. this is why i want to become a christian therapist. i don't think the two should be polar opposites, sorry. i sort of rambled. it's just i'm really hurt and i have a passion for psychology.
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I did the dumbest thing today. I charged my earbuds, unplugged the block and put the block in my little bag instead of the earbuds. I wasn't happy about that when I got to the gym. What a dummy!
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Ever since I stopped doing therapy because of insurance, I've been feeling that old tense and irritable sense of anxiety and stress. I hate that. I was making so many strides and changes during therapy, my therapist would acknowledge all of my progress and accomplishments, and I miss that reassurance. Today I thought about it, and I made those changes! She would always tell me that I chose to...
In my experience, psychology and divinity degrees are happy bedfellows. Christianity and psychology are co-existing productively. That is not a magic wand that makes the congregation more savvy than the world they live in. Education and faith are two separate phenom.
Keep looking, Jasgall. Maybe it is just because I live in a bible belt, but I know there are great Christian counselors out there.