• We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
  • Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.

I Can't Trust Anyone

Status
Not open for further replies.
I was sexually assaulted, beaten up and someone knifed my face at 16 years old and I still can't trust anyone. Is that normal? I haven't been in a relationship for years because I'm scared to be touched and I don't believe anyone can love me. I feel worthless every day, anxious - thinking something bad is going to happen and I hate myself. I feel alone, ashamed, angry and numb.

Any advice and please help :)
 
I'm a firm believer that normal is just a setting in a washing machine... not usually a helpful way to describe people.

That being said, you are not abnormal as a person.

You are having a common reaction for someone who has been traumatized by a horrible traumatic event.

Have you been in or considered trauma therapy?

Things can get better. It has taken a lot of work for me to learn to trust and be close to people again after my assault, and I still have a loooooong ways to go, but it's getting better for me. I believe things can get better for you too.
 
Last edited:
Very, very normal and understandable. It's a normal reaction to living through a horrifying event. You'll find a lot of support here. Are you in therapy?

Here's a virtual hug from a fellow survivor, but only if you accept them! :hug: If not, have some chocolate!
 
I'm so sorry that happened to you. :(

Your reactions are completely normal.

It can take a long time to heal or at least get past what happened... to trust again and to feel comfortable with touch. Are you in therapy?

You have worth and you are lovable. There is nothing to be ashamed of... you did not do this to yourself or allow it to happen. This awful thing was done to you and you never deserved it.
 
Very normal.

Is there anything that makes the fear any more manageable? Is there any feeling / thought y...


Thank you for your message. I'm glad it's normal. I have actually found anything which is pain because that would give me something to focus on.
 
I'm a firm believer that normal is just a setting in a washing machine... not usually a helpful way...

Very, very normal and understandable. It's a normal reaction to living through a horrifying ev...

I'm so sorry that happened to you. :(

Your reactions are completely normal.

It can take a long time to h...

Thank you all for your lovely messages! I have just started therapy for PTSD - understanding it for 6 weeks in group and then it will be individual therapy.
 
Everything you describe is normal after what you went through. You may not be able to stop those feelings, but you can at least minimize them by learning certain coping skills. I know it's easier said than done, but instead of singling out the negative feelings (lack of trust, anxiety, panic, sense of doom, etc) try to come up with a checklist of the positive things you have. The biggest one being that you survived that terrible ordeal and are still here finding a way to deal. Then just go through a checklist -- do you have a home? food to survive? health? I know these seem like stupid things, but it does help keep the anxiety in check if you can pinpoint very real things you have in your life. It may also help to set goals, even small ones. And the more you accomplish them, the more in control you will feel. It also gives you something else to focus on to distract from the negative feelings! In short, if you can learn to frame things in a different way -- focusing on the positive things you have rather than the bad things -- it makes things more manageable.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Donation drives

2026 Donation Goal

Goal
$1,800.00
Earned
$910.00
This donation drive ends in
0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds
  50.6%

Trending content

Featured content

Back
Top Bottom