Complex trauma is like an impressionistic painting. Up close, it's a bunch of tiny brush strokes, a jumble of dots and colors. It doesn't look like anything, just stuff, seemingly unrelated. It's not until a person takes several steps back to look again that the whole picture emerges.
At least, that's how it was for me. For many years, I felt "off" but couldn't pinpoint why. I was aware that I had a difficult childhood, and that my family was atypical in their dysfunction, but I also thought I had moved on. My issues were a jumble of seemingly unrelated dots. Of course now looking back, it all makes sense. I wish I had started this work so much sooner. Putting the past behind me and moving on ended up prolonging my healing. I had buried the trauma deep in my psyche. Now, many years later, it's a major excavation.
Moving on is not the same as healing, but it might be the stepping stone to help get someone to a place where they can do the work. Every person heals differently on their own timeline. Here are some common indicators it's time to seek some help.
- You feel overwhelmed by simple things and don't know why
- Family and co-workers upset you
- You feel out of control
- You feel exhausted
- You have an extreme startle response
- You feel stressed all the time
- You can't "forgive and forget"
- You feel guilty about things that are not your fault
- You feel ashamed
- Little things set you off
- You explode, seemingly out of nowhere
- You have nightmares or stress dreams
- You feel like nothing you do is good enough
- You escape in unhealthy ways, i.e. drinking, drugs, food, etc.
- You feel numb
- You feel obligated, i.e. "I should...."
- You hold yourself to impossible standards
- You make goals and self-sabotage them
- You criticize yourself, and the voice in your head sounds like your abuser
- You've been putting off seeking help because you know something "big" is under there, and it feels too overwhelming to deal with it.
- You're afraid of messing up your kids
- You're afraid of going crazy
- You're afraid of facing the truth
- You're afraid of ________
Choosing to heal is a life-changing decision. It starts by acknowledging that something is wrong, and by saying some of the bravest words ever spoken. "I need help."
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