Has Anyone Publicly Spoken About Their Trauma(s)?

[Deleted member 541]

@Panda Bear I think that when you get done with your speaking, if you're like me, you will need time to decompress and may even get a bit depressed for a bit. I did, not bad, but a bit. But overall it was an awesome experience. He even asked me to be a regular speaker on the psych ward to help others. I didn't take him up on the offer at that point, and haven't as of yet.... But maybe I will eventually...

Honestly, I don't know if I could watch the video.... I've thought about it throughout the past few years, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I think it's because it was such a dark time that I'm afraid to go back there and witness it....

Good luck and go kick ass when you speak..... All of us here will be right there with you!!!!!!

 

[ladee]

@She Cat..maybe it would be about going back and validating a lot of hard work for where you are today.
Haven't looked at it yet but have saved it. Love to ya sister friend.

 

[Deleted member 541]

@ladee It's just too scary for me. I might be able to do it with someone I feel safe with, but not sure. Plus, I don't have any friends!!!!!!!!:eek:

 

[Recovery4Me]

I ve been asked to share my life experiences with my churches high school youth.

First of all, congrats accepting the responsibility of presenting a tough story to a tender audience. It is certainly an challenging thing to find just the right words to convey trauma neutrally to youth. I think Joyce Meyer as a preacher did a lot for furthering the concept we are more than the sum of what was done to us!

Surely, Im not the only one who has chosen to publicly speak about their past?

I have some of my story in a book by an author T on C-PTSD. At one time there was a Christian Site that I volunteered on with battered, raped, and assaulted teens. I shared the steps I took in some of my recovery as therapy was not always sanctioned at that time by some churches. I felt it was important to speak out for professional care as an consideration. It was difficult many times but very rewarding.

 

[FireSign8]

I am working on a book that deals with the times I actually did divulge certain traumatic times in my life. I learned that it is better for me to remain anonymous for all future disclosures. The last thing I ever wanted was to become known & sought after for "advice" to others on how to handle their own screwed up lives. That is a job for professional therapists in my honest opinion. I had to move to a town where no one knew me & rarely, do I ever tell anyone my real last name for fear they might figure out some facts & hound me all over again!

 

[bmbrbob]

Recently I spoke to a hundred people or so at a fundraiser for equine therapy. There is a local horse facility offering this therapy to veterans free of charge. I didn't go into detail about my trauma but I did cover the symptoms that I have and how the program has helped me cope. It was a little awkward talking to people outside of my immediate group, but it was received very well. I'm not sure how many people really understood how we feel, but I tried. I would do it again if asked.

 

[Panda Bear]

@bmbrbob thats very cool!! Good for you! I'm sure it was well received. Though it is hard at times to convey how it is we really feel.

The kids will be getting details of my abuse, my dads suicide and sexual abuse. Not in depth, but I will be specifically covering each area and how it affected me.

@Recovery4Me, what you did sounds so exciting. I'll be speaking more specifically on how my abuse ties in to redemption.

 

[Recovery4Me]

I'll be speaking more specifically on how my abuse ties in to redemption.

You have always been kind to me with your words. So I am respectfully offering that everyone has a different take. :tup: I chose more of the deliverance angle as many children were already groomed into believing that it was their fault for the bondage : just too close to their pain.

I wish for you all the best within your presentation of your heartfelt story, victory and the relationship of Christ in your life. :hug:

 

[Deleted member 37085]

Just curious, and if you have....how did it go? Did you feel okay?

I've been asked to share my life...

@Panda Bear you are most assuredly not the only one that has chosen to further heal by speaking out about your trauma. Not everyone makes this choice. I haven't spoken out publicly like you're about to do (and I imagine will help others by continuing to shine a light on a very dark and secretive subject - more abuse and trauma victims are coming forward publicly). Good for you.
I have only written bits and pieces in trauma diary (members) here in this forum, and have posted some things related to members' posts here about my trauma, too.

Talk show on yesterday had a grandmother, daughter, and her daughter on blowing the lid of the grandfather who had molested both his daughter and his granddaughter. And many other investigative shows have specials on young women, women, and young men, and men who have come forward to tell their trauma stories. As with other members here, I too have prolonged complex ptsd, eating disorder issues, and a myriad of other psychological issues and am just unable to share like you're about to do.

I hope all goes well for you, and that you have good solid friend(s) who are there for you following your trauma talk (presentation). Good luck to you. JJ

 

[Gamera3000]

It's great that you're doing this.

I've only spoken about what happened to me a couple times. The first time was when I found out that my younger cousin was abused by one of my abusers. My cousin was not around, but I discovered that her dad (my uncle) and her sisters weren't believing her. So I told them what happened to me and told them they needed to support her and stop protecting my abuser. They were really positive at first but then heads went right back in the sand.

Then a few years ago I found out that my niece was raped at 13 and then at 15 went into a "relationship" with a nearly 30 year old friend of her dad's. Her parents weren't getting anywhere with her so I sat her down and told her what happened to me with greater detail than I'd ever gotten into. Her stony face broke my heart. After she went home I sent her books about what grooming is and how to deal with sexual abuse. She hasn't talked to me about it again, but she broke up with the man and is now about to enter college.

I mean, it helps. Someone in that audience will be a current victim. Someone else will be a recent victim. You can help them start rebuilding themselves. It is worth it to share your story with them. Too many people will not talk to kids about this stuff and all it does is leave them vulnerable.

 

[Friday]

I've spoken about one of my trauma-sets, that I don't particularly care about, an awful lot. Side effects? Zip, zero, zilch, nada. I can talk about this particular kind of trauma all day long to no effect.

^^^
Which is the main reason why I got all bound and determined to be able to talk about the traumas that do still gut me; how ones I can talk about I have a handle on. The ones I can't? Have a handle on me.

Did I always not care about it? Nope. But this one area of my history I've processed 6 ways from Sunday. Looooong before I ever spoke publicly about it.

...

Another of my traumas I "had" to speak publicly about (there was a choice involved, granted, not a good one)... And it wrecked me. For months leading up to it I was a freaking disaster, and the months following made the first several months look like good times. It was a really, really, devastating no good very bad horrible awful thing from start to finish. At a bare minimum that one day claimed a year of my life, and more realistically, 2. If the consequences hadn't been as severe as they were for not speaking publicly there is no way in hell I would have done it, nor would I believe it to have been the right decision. It *was* the right decision, IMO, but -again- only because 2 years of my life is a far less severe consequence than the alternative.

 

[BoN-bOn]

I have spoken to many different groups of people about domestic violence (including a group of men once, that was the hardest). It was very empowering both to be able to write the speech as well as speak about it. Was I anxious? Very!!! But I did it anyway and was so proud of myself afterward. I just recently wrote a speech for domestic violence month in October. I wasn't able to attend the function, but was honored to have my story read. It takes a LOT out of me when I work on writing the speech. Nightmares, insomnia, & anxiety usually worsen during that time, but I've been able to see over the years how my perspective about what happened to me has changed...each year I seem a little bit stronger. good luck to you & I think it's a wonderful opportunity for you!