trauma
At its core, trauma can be thought of as the psychological wounds that persist, even when the physical ones are long gone.
Not Everything Happens for a Reason, but That's Okay
There have been numerous accounts of tragedy and heartbreak that I have experienced throughout my 22 years on Earth, all of which I remember so vividly it is almost as if they occurred just last night. What I remember even more vividly, however, is confiding in a person close to me who, after expressing sorrow and concern, proceeded to say to me that this had to have happened for some reason greater than the human mind can even begin to comprehend. While these words were intended in the most consoling way possible, in order to aid me in accepting what had happened to me, I was repulsed at this reaction each and every time. In a world where tragic events occur with no explanation whatsoever and we are left wondering what we did to deserve this and why this had to happen, it has become human nature to adapt the ideology that everything happens for a reason beyond our capability of understanding so that it is easier to accept them and move on with our lives. Realistically, however, everything does not happen for a reason, and living by the idea that it does is not as effective as one may think.
Abbey WaltersPublished 6 years ago in PsycheWhat’s Left of Me
The nearly empty glass dropped from my hand. I felt my grip loosen and gasped, but time seemed to inch forward at a crawl. The edge tilted towards the floor, gravity’s inexorable grip drawing the last inch of wine one drop at a time into the gray shag carpet. The fabric absorbed the impact of the glass, rolling it under the table without shattering it, leaving a red stain, like blood, behind it.
Chadlai ShadePublished 6 years ago in PsycheHow Trauma Affected Me
How Trauma Affected My Life: I feel I have had such bad trauma, to the point where I suppress it so much just to feel some what normal in the world. There's ways I do this. Some ways I do this is by thinking about other people who have it way worse than I do, which helps me feel like my problems are not even valid compared to theirs. Other ways I do this is by living through the motions. Trying to be a normal human being just so I can feel somewhat real in this world.
When Abuse Pretends It Isn't
Ok, so this is going to be a touchy article, regardless of what experience you have with it. Talking about mental illness (especially when you don't suffer from anything too serious yourself) is usually considered a little off-base. I try to keep my opinions to myself regarding most precarious social issues because no matter what it seems to cause unnecessary upset feelings and judgement, even if nobody is willing to admit it. But hey, I feel like this is important, and I wish I could have read something like this a year ago when I was in the throes of an abusive relationship and battling a mental illness that wasn't my own. If you've ever felt trapped by guilt, you probably have a good idea where I'm coming from. It really makes you question your morality. I never saw myself as someone who would abandon a person battling a MI, I thought it would make me a bad person and some days I feel like it does.
Carly AnnePublished 6 years ago in PsycheAn Open Letter to My Attacker/s
I’m writing this to you, the ones who have forgotten about me, who walk past me on the street & who do not remember who I am or what you did. The hard part being that you had completely forgotten me & 12 years on, I haven’t forgotten a thing. I’m almost certain you’ll never read this but try to remember me...
Emma PilgrimPublished 6 years ago in PsycheFeeling Like a Burden
I feel like such a burden. I have my problems, my agitative depression, my uneven serotonin levels, my yelling in my room I try desperately to curb. I use humor, venting through writing, busying myself with tasks, focusing on the cuteness of my cat, crying it out, anything I can think of to stop myself from being this yelling monster that disturbs others by her yelling.
Alexandra FPublished 6 years ago in PsycheUnexpected Friendship: Part One
I used to be in an abusive relationship. All the text book red flags and warning signs were present, however, I was being played by a narcissistic sociopath, and man, those people are good at what they do! ( I am in no way trying to down play the severity of this situation, I am just finally at a point in my life where I can use humor and sarcasm when I tell this horrendous story).
RaeAnna MercadoPublished 6 years ago in PsycheThirty Stitches, A Concussion, & the First Day of my Junior Year
It is pitch black and I cannot tell if I am dreaming. I remember a bike, a car, a curb, and then, did someone punch me in the eye? I wake up disoriented in the backseat of an ambulance. Sirens are blaring, and a man I’ve never seen before is dabbing my cheek with what I assume are cotton balls with some form of antiseptic on them. My facial expression remains stoic, but internally I am panicking. I touch my face, then look at my hand and see blood. It has a watery consistency, not at all like the blood in the movies. He asks me questions to keep me present and distract me from the blood, and it works. He asks me about school, and I actually laugh. Even with a gaping wound, I could not escape the irony of this happening to me the day before my first day of my junior year of high school. My mom shows up at the hospital and I end up with thirty stitches and a mom scared half to death.
Giselle OmarPublished 6 years ago in PsycheHow I Moved Forward From "The Deadliest Mass Shooting in Modern U.S History"
Here's a personal reflection of an event, that has forever changed my life. B A C K S T O R Y A year and a half ago, my parents, and the majority or my family, made the decision of moving. They decided to move from a small town in California to Las Vegas, Nevada. I had the opportunity to attend a school near home, so that meant that I had to stay, essentially not being with my family. The transition has been tough, and at times extremely trembling.
Toxic
To the girls who are toxic with their own lives... you are not alone. When you have lived through so many traumatic experiences, they are always there. You wake up and go to sleep to them. They never go away. Yes, you heal and you learn healthy coping mechanisms. You even succeed at these mechanisms in sporadic spurts. You jump ten steps forward and twenty steps back. Panic attacks are a normal occurrence but these are not the kind of panic attacks that most people talk about. You don’t have trouble breathing. You have trouble forming a full thought. Your mind feels like it is in a war zone constantly and you have nowhere to hide from the speeding bullets coming at your head and aiming to take you out! Sadly, the smallest things can trigger an episode and an episode of the war zone can last days, weeks, or even months. Decisions... HA HA HA! Most of those turn out to be the wrong ones made on snap judgements and based around your current or recurring mood at the time. Then you must deal with the aftermath once you have jumped the gun and made what everyone around you calls a "stupid" decision.
Jeanette LearnPublished 6 years ago in PsycheThat's Not How Your First Love Is Supposed to Go
That's not how your first love is supposed to go. That is what everyone had said to me when I first opened up about the shit-show I thought was love. And after a series of denial and self-hatred I soon came to say it too.
Leahana GilbertPublished 6 years ago in PsycheDear Eight Year Old Me…
No, it’s not normal to feel like this. You are not supposed to have such severe anxiety and depression and genuinely want to kill yourself at age eight. People will keep telling you that you’re being dramatic and you don’t know what it actually feels like to me sad and want to die; that you are far too young to understand. The thing is, I know, I understand. Why you wanted to kill yourself from such a young age I’ll never know, but I need you to know that you will survive this and I know that your feelings are valid, even if you are so young.