An effect of trauma

Carrying a conviction or label that does not reflect what you actually did

Living with a legal conviction, formal label, or public record that says you did something you did not do. This includes people who were wrongfully convicted, people who took a plea deal under pressure to avoid a longer sentence, and people who were accused of something false that changed how others see them. The record does not tell the truth about you.

It can sound like

“Your record says one thing. You know another. Whether you took a deal to get out or were never given a fair chance.” “You are living under a name that does not belong to you. People see the record and not the person..”

If any of those sentences live in your head too, you are in good company here.

Experiences this often follows

Effects do not come from nowhere. These are some of the experiences that people who carry this one often describe. You do not need to have been through any of them for what you feel to be real.

Nothing on this page is a diagnosis, and nothing here decides what is wrong with you, because nothing is wrong with you. Something happened to you. This page exists so that when you are ready, you can find people who understand it from the inside.

You do not have to carry this alone.

Bridge of Hope Recovery is a free, anonymous, peer-led fellowship for trauma survivors. Meetings run throughout the week by phone, by video, and in person. No cost, no waitlist, no one asking for your real name.

Find a meeting Join the fellowship

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