The survivor who refuses to be defined by trauma
Like many people, I endured neglect and sexual abuse in childhood. Without a model of healthy relationships, I became an extremely vulnerable teenager and unwittingly sought out partners and situations that recreated the pain, emptiness, fear and shame I associated with sex.
I believed my value came from what I could do for others, struggled to distinguish safety from danger, and was raped more than once. My mental health deteriorated and the addictions I used to self-soothe no longer worked. I was angry.
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