CPTSD - Finding Yourself | Loving Yourself

Paths to Healing

Awareness is a key factor to starting on your healing journey.

Often trauma victims are unaware they have gone through trauma. They may feel their situation wasn't severe enough to classify as trauma.

People tend to attend therapy/counselling when they experience symptoms of depression, anxiety or simply not feeling like themselves mentally.

Once someone sees a therapist they often leave out major parts of their story. It's important to note that everything is important. Something I've learned over time is that no one can help you if they don't know the full story. I've been to 6/7 different therapy services across 3 different countries and not one of them did I mention the abuse and neglect I experienced. I simply didn't believe it was enough to alter or impact my life.

This lack of information leads to misdiagnosis with other mental health conditions (new part coming soon!).

The only way to truly heal is to acknowledge the trauma you went through.

Writing about your life, memories or emotions can be really effective in opening your eyes to your past.

Moving on isn't simply a case of brushing events under the rug. It's facing your feelings head on.

Write letters to those who have hurt you. Rip the letters up, burn them or give them to your abuser. It doesn't matter so much what happens to the letter, moreso how they help you recover.

Detaching from those who have hurt you or bring out the worst in you is okay. Some people hold onto friends that bring out the worst in them because they believe it's simply all they've got. So what? I'd rather have no friends than friends who treat me badly or bring out the worst in me. It took me years and 3 different countries to figure that out. People who really are your friends will stick by you no matter what, no matter where they are.

Moving out of your family home, if you haven't done so already, can be a very stressful time. Often for long term trauma victims it brings a sense of relief. Ensure you have a safe place to go or live.

Try making some life goals, small things you want to achieve within a set time frame, for example:

I want to have my bathroom cleaned by next Tuesday (--/--/--).

I want to read to page -- of my new book by next week.

Keep yourself occupied. Negative thoughts often creep in when you have nothing else to do - although that is not strictly true as negative thoughts can intrude any time. Join a sports club, take up a hobby, go for walks, read a book etc.

No one's path to healing is the same. Sometimes it helps to implement a schedule into your life. Plan out your days, weeks, months, years. Having a game plan will help you have something to live for.

*As I do more research I will add more to this page! I welcome any suggestions or personal experience!*