Emotional and psychological harm

Being constantly criticized, belittled, or told you were worthless

Growing up or living with someone who consistently put you down, mocked you, told you that you were stupid, worthless, ugly, or would never amount to anything. Words used as weapons, regularly and deliberately.

Words repeated often enough by someone with power over you become an inner voice that keeps talking long after they stopped. Many people with this history hear that commentary daily and assume it is their own opinion of themselves. It is not. It is an echo with an author, and recovery is partly learning to tell the difference.

What can follow an experience like this

No two people carry the same experience the same way. These are some of the effects that people with this experience often describe. Having some of them, all of them, or none of them says nothing about how real what happened to you was.

C-PTSD When trauma happened repeatedly, over a long time, or at the hands of people who were supposed to care for you, the effects go deeper than a single event. People-pleasing Anticipating what others need before they ask. Shame Not guilt about something you did. Depression Not just sadness. Anxiety The background hum of dread that is always there. Identity disturbance Not being able to answer simple questions about yourself. Narcissistic traits When someone grows up without adequate mirroring, with conditional love, or having to meet a caregiver's needs rather than their own, certain adaptations form. Perfectionism For some people the response to shame, chaos, or feeling fundamentally not enough is to achieve.

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.

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