I’m scared about my next session - decided to report abuser/rapist

[Posttruamaticsam]

i Have decided to report my abuser/ rapist with the help of my therapist during our next session. I’m scared I won’t be able to do it. That I’ll throw up in session again. Or I’ll dissociate. I’m scared most of all that reporting him will somehow make everything worse. Idk what to do about these fears really other than sit with them.

 

[The Albatross]

Anticipatory stress is really detrimental or useless. Use this time to dismantle and examine it and learn something by the experience?

Anticipatory stressor occur when a person perceives that an upcoming event will be bad. What evidence do you have based in facts that support this with this shrink? Can you consider that you have at least a 50% chance that the session will be neutral or positive? If not, why not and work on it.

Worst case scenarios... if you puke in session so what? If you can't do it next session so what? If you disassociate so what?

Here's the thing… YOU'LL BE IN SESSION with your shrink. No real safer place to do the admission you want.

Sitting with fears is one thing... conjuring up all the bug-a-boos and freaking yourself out ahead of something you want to do is something else. Do a cost benefit analysis (CBA) on the idea of why you want to do it to counter the "I’m scared most of all that reporting him will somehow make everything worse". Maybe you aren't ready at all now to report if you're freaking yourself out. Maybe that is something to be discussed and worked through in your sessions.