Definition of Child Abuse
Child abuse is any act, pattern of behavior, or failure to act by a parent, caregiver, trusted adult, or another person in a custodial or responsible way role that harms, places at serious risk, or threatens harm to a child under the age of 18 cpgn.org.
Remembering Child Abuse as an Adult
Recognizing and recalling childhood abuse as an adult can be a deeply personal and often painful process. It may come in the form of emotional flashbacks, intrusive memories, or a sudden “cracking open” of repressed experiences ourwave.org These memories can feel vivid, even if they were suppressed for years, and may trigger many emotions from the past that are alien to the adult.
Recognizing life-long behavioral emotional patterns as trauma responses and not character defects, requires tenderness. “Most survivors never learn to self -soothe in childhood.” (Survivor to Thriver Manual, 2015) Experiencing flashbacks as an adult and not feeling equipped with the necessary tools to find comfort, can be destabilizing and painful. Resources like Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse, and others on the Our Wave website (ourwave.org), exist to heal from trauma. Healing doesn’t occur in a vacuum, recognizing abuse and reaching out takes tremendous courage. While healing can be supported by individual and group therapies, independent work through reading, journaling and meditation are powerful too. Combining multiple tools and techniques can be deeply enriching.
Interpersonal violence and assault form another major category. Physical and sexual assault, domestic violence, robbery, and harassment produce trauma that is often compounded by shame, secrecy, and a breakdown of trust in others… an interpersonal trauma may be repeated or ongoing, which deepens its psychological impact.”
These are the two types of abuse that will be explored and suggested coping skills discussed and taught on my Blog, Susanssoul.com. I am a survivor of both types of abuse and will continue to share my journey.
Any suggestions for coping will not be mandatory but suggested based upon mine and others’ recovery from trauma that varies in length from weeks to years for survivors. Please feel free to comment on any of your experience on your journey.
You are invited to become a member of Susanssoul.com, a safe, confidential Blog.
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