How Do You See Yourself?
Sunday, February 26th, 2012 • PTSD Healing Thought of the Week •
In my trauma recovery memoir I write about how I had changed after my trauma. Technically, the physical scars we not the issue for me; it was the
emotional scars that left me so damaged. I noticed the change immediately when I came home from the hospital.
In my PTSD/trauma recovery memoir I write it this way:
I looked like myself overall: fair-skinned, deep brown eyes, rosy lips. Something about the eyes, however, had changed. When I looked into them I didn’t see myself, I saw her–the freak, the survivor…
How you see yourself has a huge impact on your recovery. So…. how do you see yourself??
(To read more from my trauma recovery memoir, click here to download an excerpt.)
You have enormous healing potential, the goal is learning to access it. Dig deep. You can do this. I believe in you!
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As I worked through my PTSD that started as a child, and saw changes I wanted I felt really good. Now, I had a great loss as an adult in 2008 and it was by my hands. I am currently thinking and working with forgiving myself for that loss. It is one thing to forgive one’s self for being in a situation you have no control over. It’s a different story when your loss is at your own hands. This time it is harder for many of the defenses I erected are now gone and I feel lost in what to do next.
@Shirley – I hear your ache and I know what you mean; it is much more difficult to forgive ourselves for things we feel completely responsible for. Still, I believe we all do the best we can in every moment given the circumstances plus our tools, skills and resources, which means perhaps forgiveness may be found when we are ready to give ourselves permission to receive it. In figuring out what to do next, I wonder what it would take to forgive yourself, and how you might facilitate that if forgiveness seems like a necessary part of your recovery. You have redeeming qualities even if you made a mistake.