• The General Mental Health Forum is now a Read Only Forum. As we had two large areas making it difficult for many to find, we decided to combine the Mental Health & the Recovery sections of the forum into Mental Health & Recovery as a whole. Physical Health still remains as it's own area within the entire Recovery area.

    If you are having struggles, need support in a particular area that you aren't finding a specific recovery area forum, you may find the General Struggles forum a great place to post. Any any that is related to emotions, self-esteem, insomnia, anger, relationship dynamics due to mental health and recovery and other issues that don't fit better in another forum would be examples of topics that might go there.

    If you have spiritual issues related to a mental health and recovery issue, please use the Recovery Related Spiritual Advice forum. This forum is designed to be like Christian Advice, only for recovery type of issues. Recovery being like a family in many ways, allows us to support one another together. May you be blessed today and each day.

    Kristen.NewCreation and FreeinChrist

I can't remember, but maybe that's a blessing

HoneyBee

Prodigal Daughter
Supporter
Feb 19, 2017
610
1,222
West Coast
✟198,853.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Republican
I have sexual abuse in my past, and I know that for sure. I don't know who did it, where it happened, or even what exactly happened, but I have enough context clues to paint a horribly ugly picture for myself. This is something that has plagued my mind for over a decade at this point in one form or another. I used to get so frustrated and feel so violated for not being able to remember what happened to me. Sometimes those feelings still come up when my sexual trauma symptoms bubble to the surface, but I wanted to share a different perspective too.

A lot of professionals have said that you don't need to completely remember your traumas in order to heal from them, and I think that's a true statement. Looking back, I can see that I've come a far way from the way that I used to react and think before. Imagery and other obscure things that would normally trigger me don't evoke the same responses anymore, or at least not with the same frequency that they did before. And when I look at those old triggers and the horrific picture that all of that painted in my mind, I guess I should be grateful that I can't remember what happened to me in great detail. I may remember one day or perhaps never at all... but in any case, I think maybe I should leave it up to God. After all, He knows better than I do about what I could mentally handle at this point in my life and in the future.
 

KybeKyneKane

Active Member
Aug 13, 2021
37
37
32
Seoul
✟24,459.00
Country
Korea, Republic Of
Faith
Seeker
Marital Status
Single
I have sexual abuse in my past, and I know that for sure. I don't know who did it, where it happened, or even what exactly happened, but I have enough context clues to paint a horribly ugly picture for myself. This is something that has plagued my mind for over a decade at this point in one form or another. I used to get so frustrated and feel so violated for not being able to remember what happened to me. Sometimes those feelings still come up when my sexual trauma symptoms bubble to the surface, but I wanted to share a different perspective too.

A lot of professionals have said that you don't need to completely remember your traumas in order to heal from them, and I think that's a true statement. Looking back, I can see that I've come a far way from the way that I used to react and think before. Imagery and other obscure things that would normally trigger me don't evoke the same responses anymore, or at least not with the same frequency that they did before. And when I look at those old triggers and the horrific picture that all of that painted in my mind, I guess I should be grateful that I can't remember what happened to me in great detail. I may remember one day or perhaps never at all... but in any case, I think maybe I should leave it up to God. After all, He knows better than I do about what I could mentally handle at this point in my life and in the future.
Well, it probably is good for bad memories to be pushed away. It's like looking for a new sound in life for more adventures for the future. The professionals are probably right to have only strengths and comfortabilities to be alongside you.

You also got to like to cope and you will find your way that much clearer.
For a yearning of freedom to be done by putting the past behind you is probably a good thing.

I mean those kind of traumas should be like a distant land for just about anyone.
One should not have rainy days remembered if they don't want to remember it and I guess the same goes for you too. Find your new stride in life per se so to speak.
 
Last edited:
  • Friendly
Reactions: HoneyBee
Upvote 0

Mayflower1

Hello my Name is "Child of the One True King"
Supporter
Dec 2, 2005
21,415
3,986
Heaven of course!
✟117,693.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
I have sexual abuse in my past, and I know that for sure. I don't know who did it, where it happened, or even what exactly happened, but I have enough context clues to paint a horribly ugly picture for myself. This is something that has plagued my mind for over a decade at this point in one form or another. I used to get so frustrated and feel so violated for not being able to remember what happened to me. Sometimes those feelings still come up when my sexual trauma symptoms bubble to the surface, but I wanted to share a different perspective too.

A lot of professionals have said that you don't need to completely remember your traumas in order to heal from them, and I think that's a true statement. Looking back, I can see that I've come a far way from the way that I used to react and think before. Imagery and other obscure things that would normally trigger me don't evoke the same responses anymore, or at least not with the same frequency that they did before. And when I look at those old triggers and the horrific picture that all of that painted in my mind, I guess I should be grateful that I can't remember what happened to me in great detail. I may remember one day or perhaps never at all... but in any case, I think maybe I should leave it up to God. After all, He knows better than I do about what I could mentally handle at this point in my life and in the future.

I didn't have memories come back till I was fifteen of sexual abuse. And lately I've had some things come up that I'm dealing with that seem surreal to where it is hard questioning/praying about what is real and unreal. But what you are doing here is putting things in God's hands and trusting Him with it, and that is beautiful. He can take any pain you have and heal it. He already set us free on the cross. I think if it effects someone's life so hard where you just aren't happy, it is important to talk to someone, praying about everything. I pray that you will feel freedom and wholeness despite anything unknown.
 
Upvote 0

Burn The Ships

Warrior
Supporter
Mar 4, 2022
41
50
24
Ohio
✟35,257.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Democrat
I feel this on a soul level.

I was also sexually abused as a child. I have many memories of various forms of abuse dealt to my sister and I by my step father.

But there is one specific memory that ... well... I can't quite remember. And I am sure that is a good thing.

When I was in high school and my sister in middle school, we had a long talk together one night that was very bad. We agreed that the next day at school we would both go to our school counselors and tell them what was happening at home.

Well, she was too scared. She chickened out. But I wasn't.

That night was the worst one of my life- I just know it. Because I disassociate so much that I can't remember. The bits and pieces I do were awful.

Why?

Because my school counsellor called my step father instead of the authorities.

It was awful.
 
Upvote 0

OldAbramBrown

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2023
807
140
69
England
✟22,720.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Single
I've done some inferring. Dubious movement in the neighbourhood. The photograph among the transparencies in the cartridge for the slide show.

What I've seen is not about "mental health".

Normalising sexually intrusive talk by respectable public religious leaders and their secular proxies (some Min of Education trained teachers).

What I've seen is not about "mental health".
 
Upvote 0