Sexual Abuse Support Group
Sexual abuse is a relative cultural term used to describe sexual relations and behavior between two or more parties which are considered criminally and/or morally offensive. Different types of sexual abuse involve: Non-consensual, forced physical sexual behavior such as rape, incest or sexual assault, or psychological forms of abuse, such as verbal sexual behavior or...
I'm assuming most of us in this group have been through some fairly shitty life experiences to have led us here. That said, I also assume we have our own preferences for coping mechanisms. Mine, historically speaking, has been alcohol. While my drinking now is considerably different - for the better - than it has been in the past, I am still drawn to it when I am experiencing PTSD-type symptoms. However, I also smoke/vaporize/ingest cannabis, which happens to be a beautiful way to relax.
The question is, for those of you who may also fluctuate between alcohol and cannabis to help deal with trauma, which do you gravitate toward and why? I think I have my own reasons figured out, but I'd like to hear everyone else's thoughts on why you choose one coping method over another. And I guess it doesn't have to be just between alcohol and cannabis.
I'm not looking for a theory, but an honest answer of why you pick drug/behavior X, Y, or Z rather than drug/behavior A, B, or C.
The question is, for those of you who may also fluctuate between alcohol and cannabis to help deal with trauma, which do you gravitate toward and why? I think I have my own reasons figured out, but I'd like to hear everyone else's thoughts on why you choose one coping method over another. And I guess it doesn't have to be just between alcohol and cannabis.
I'm not looking for a theory, but an honest answer of why you pick drug/behavior X, Y, or Z rather than drug/behavior A, B, or C.
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Middy is off for a bit so if anyone needs a CL please just give me a shoutSending a big hug...xo
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I was sexually assaulted as a kid. I find it hard to accept that another person's actions caused me so much harm. He made bad choices and now I am paying the price. Stupid PTSD!
I was afraid to fall asleep every night because I always had nightmares, the alcohol became a tool to "put me to sleep"...
After about a year I saw it was going to turn into a problem if I continued drinking, so I stopped completely. I have since been put back on Seroquel + the addition of Prazocin - with limited success.
Grasshopper7, my therapist and psychiatrist were trying to get me to use cannabis to reduce my nightmares; how is it working for you? Do you have to use it every day? Do the nightmares get worse if you skip a day? I would appreciate any insight you have on the topic.
You say "they return with a vengeance" when you don't use any cannabis, can you elaborate... Do the nightmares come back worse than they were to start with, or does it just "feel" that way since you were getting accustomed to having no nightmares at all?
The short-term memory loss during the day, that is a problem too.... it sounds like cannabis is not the miracle drug I hoped it was, but I think I would take some short-term memory loss over nightmares if I had a choice....
Growing up, my drug of choice....
Sugar. Raw sugar, corn syrup, and mixed together, add a tad of water to help dissolve it, and be able to drunk it faster... Then almost pass out.
Or ice cream toppings... Caramel, hot chocolate, marshmallow cream... Three favorite toppings... Then a nap afterwards.
My other 'drug of choice'?
Adrenaline and endorphins ...
I would hurt myself some how, to get it pumping in my system...
Sorry, as always... I know I'm alone on this..
This method is legal drugs, and easy to make... That's why u used them..
The after effects was hell though.. Headache, blood, busted up hand, or what ever I did to start it..
Sorry .... Hope I didn't trigger anyone...
Alcohol next.
Rarely anything harder. I have enough problems without sticking a needle in my arm. At least I have been able to fend that shit off.
But doc wont give me anything that helps. And sometimes I have to "get a break" from it all.
WEED is my first choice.
Alcohol second.
and any other distraction: porn, sleep, spacing out
Coping in the past-- food, sugar, books and spacing out. I used these behaviors because there were the only ways I knew how to survive.
My oldest sister used total denial. My next oldest sister used sex. My youngest sister used alcohol, drugs and prescription pills.
Coping today--EMDR, therapy, new, safe experiences that help me get to know myself better, and lots of self-talk.
Cannabis is not a choice for me, though it sounds inviting, because I know it destroys brain cells. I'd rather deal with the shit than to let the predators continue to destroy me....the X%@#! Feeling my anger here.
SuzA