 | Miami Hypnotic Center
Hypnosis for dealing with the effects of abuse. These services are extended only to adults. Also connect to different online sources that are available to provide answers to your questions and options for help. |
Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault
CAVEAT: The following descriptions are meant to serve as a general guideline for how a victim of sexual assault might react in a time of pain or crisis. It is important to recognize, however, that each victim of sexual assault will have his or her own life experiences and personality that will influence how he or she react to the assault.
Reactions There are many reactions that survivors of rape and sexual assault can have. But for adult survivors of childhood abuse there are reactions that may either be different or stronger than for other survivors. These include:
Setting Limits/Boundaries
RAINN. Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault. Retrieved from http://www.rainn.org/get-information/effects-of-sexual-assault/adult-survivors-of-childhood-sexual-abuse
Reactions There are many reactions that survivors of rape and sexual assault can have. But for adult survivors of childhood abuse there are reactions that may either be different or stronger than for other survivors. These include:
Setting Limits/Boundaries
- Because your personal boundaries were invaded when you were young by someone you trusted and depended on, you may have trouble understanding that you have the right to control what happens to you.
- Like many survivors, you may experience flashbacks.
- This is often the most difficult emotion for an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse to get in touch with.
- As a child your anger was powerless and had little to no effect on the actions of your abuser. For this reason you may not feel confident that you anger will be useful or helpful.
- Being abused as a child means the loss of many things- childhood experiences, trust, innocence, normal relationship with family members (especially if the abuser was a family member).
- You must be allowed to name those losses, grieve them, and then bury them.
- You may carry a lot of guilt because you may have experienced pleasure or because you did not try to stop the abuse.
- There may have been silence surrounding the abuse that led to feelings of shame.
- It is important for you to understand that it was the adult who abused his/her position of authority and should be held accountable, not you.
- Learning to trust again may be very difficult for you.
- You may find that you go from one extreme to the other, not trusting at all to trusting too much.
- You have undoubtedly developed skills in order to cope with the trauma.
- Some of these are healthy (possibly separating yourself from family members, seeking out counseling, etc.)
- Some are not (drinking or drug abuse, promiscuous sexual activity, etc.)
- Low self-esteem is a result of all of the negative messages you received and internalized from your abusers.
- Because entering into an intimate relationship involves trust, respect, love, and the ability to share, you may flee from intimacy or hold on too tightly for fear of losing the relationship.
- You likely have to deal with the fact that your first initiation into sex came as a result of sexual abuse.
- You may experience the return of body memories while engaging in a sexual activity with another person. Such memories may interfere in your ability to engage in sexual relationships which may leave you feeling frightened, frustrated, or ashamed.
RAINN. Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault. Retrieved from http://www.rainn.org/get-information/effects-of-sexual-assault/adult-survivors-of-childhood-sexual-abuse
Child Abuse: An Overview
Effects of Child Abuse on Adults: Childhood Abuse
"No one escapes childhood abuse unharmed. Many abuse survivors are highly competent in their professional and personal lives, compensating for the adverse effects of an abusive childhood until some added stress is introduced, perhaps a physical illness, birth of a child, or the death of a family member. Some children may seem resilient to abuse, some even becoming overachievers, but eventually the history of abuse catches up with them.
Compared with people without a history of childhood abuse, adults with a history of childhood abuse are more likely to have: A partner with a substance abuse problem, anxiety disorders, chronic head, face or pelvic pain, eating disorders, musculoskeletal complaints, depression, gastrointestinal distress or symptoms, asthma or other respiratory ailments, obesity, eating disorders, insomnia, panic, sexual dysfunction, substance abuse, suicidal ideation or behavior, pseudo-neurologic symptoms(dizziness, etc.), unintended pregnancy, self-injury, abuse their own children", etc (Newton).
REFERNCES
Newton, C.J. Child Abuse: An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/child-abuse/survivors-childhood-abuse.html
Compared with people without a history of childhood abuse, adults with a history of childhood abuse are more likely to have: A partner with a substance abuse problem, anxiety disorders, chronic head, face or pelvic pain, eating disorders, musculoskeletal complaints, depression, gastrointestinal distress or symptoms, asthma or other respiratory ailments, obesity, eating disorders, insomnia, panic, sexual dysfunction, substance abuse, suicidal ideation or behavior, pseudo-neurologic symptoms(dizziness, etc.), unintended pregnancy, self-injury, abuse their own children", etc (Newton).
REFERNCES
Newton, C.J. Child Abuse: An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/child-abuse/survivors-childhood-abuse.html
Resources for Miami Dade County
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Kristi House strives to end the epidemic of child sexual abuse in Miami-Dade County by healing those who have been victims and breaking the cycle of abuse for future generations.
Free counters provided by Vendio. |
