My Self And Dissociation

[Eleanor]

Anyway, I feel like the little part is a part that had it's life or freedom or whatever threatened (or perception of such). That shit the reptilian brain takes care of. Logic doesn't really come into play. So I feel like as the person grows, this part can't grow with it because it has learned that if ABC happens that logic won't help and assigns it to the reptilian brain to take care of. The reptilian brain thinks nothing, just reacts. That is what I feel like a 'part' is. It takes a safe place for that part to grow. That is what I attempt to use my SELF for. My unaffected soul (or whatever) that I have spent much time nurturing and trusting.

Exactly. And probably anatomically correct too. :)

 

[Go Hungry]

I found this link on lifehacker this morning and thought it might be relevant to this thread. :)

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-discover-your-authentic-self-and-live-the-life-1698115144

 

[Born to Run]

Maybe our SELVES are right there - but we just can't see it.....

Yes, I think you are right. Our self or call it soul, core, true self has always remained, but we are not able to get into contact with it. Higher self is in another category for me as that is more the connection of our self with the universal/higher consciousness. Think of Maslow's pyramid of Hierarchy of Needs. There are many levels to have in place before one attains self-actualization. Maslow used the terms "physiological", "safety", "belongingness and love", "esteem", "self-actualization", and "self-transcendence" to describe the pattern that human motivations generally move through. As long as we are struggling with ptsd we have the safety, belongingness/love, and esteem as huge challenges to overcome. Once these needs are met we can move on to self-actualization, of the self that was there dormant all the time. "What a man can be, he must be." (Maslow). The self-transcendence would be more related to spirituality.
Personally, my greatest frustration has always been the inability to contact my self, due to all the garbage. When I was 18 I decided that I was not the person I showed to be on the outside, but that it was all adaptive due to trauma. Up till today I do not know what my real potential is, what I really want to connect my heart to. I have fine degrees, but they are not connected to me, to my heart, to my purpose. This discovery will be my most interesting journey once in the post-traumatic stage.