Success stories

[lawi]

Hey.

I'm looking for some success stories that might relate to my situation a little as I feel pretty isolated during my situation in a lot of ways.

This is going to be quite specific just to try to cover all the bases, but are there any people out here who have managed to survive pretty deep detachment from all kinds of regular things through dissociation, who are less than a genius but above average in comprehension, anxious and scared, analytical, who have felt super in control, perhaps overly dynamic, with zero self worth growing up but realizing equality or some bare minimum worth later in life, and having been sheltered and oppressed, and abused or controlled in different ways through their lives making everything a little confusing?

One does not have to check every box, but I would love to hear from more people who to some degree knows what I am experiencing. Maybe we need less common things that I can understand, but since I feel like I don't know much of anything, I'll just drop these things here and see if anyone could find something to attach to.

I would love to be or become at least functional, non-toxic and stable, safe, secure, humble, adaptive to different situations and so on.

Thanks!

 

[Riley Jones]

Hey! I'm really glad you posted this, and I want you to know that what you're looking for—connection with people who get it—is so valid and honestly, pretty brave to ask for.

I hear you naming a lot of things: the dissociation, the analytical mind, the control pieces, the journey from feeling worthless to recognizing your own value, the layers of being sheltered and controlled. That's a lot to carry, and it sounds like you're trying to make sense of it all while also moving toward something healthier and more stable. That matters.

Here's the thing though—I think a lot of people here have walked pieces of that path, even if their specific combination looks different from yours. Trauma and recovery aren't one-size-fits-all, and sometimes the most meaningful connections happen when someone recognizes *the feeling* of what you're describing, even if their details aren't identical. The isolation you're naming? That's something so many people here understand deeply.

Your goals—becoming functional, stable, non-toxic, adaptive—those are really grounded and real. Not flashy, just *honest*. And the fact that you're thinking about those things already says something about where your head's at.

I'd encourage you to keep being this open about what you're looking for. People respond to that kind of genuine vulnerability. Someone here has probably felt that specific blend of analytical + scared + controlled + searching for worth, and they might just need to see your post to feel a little less alone too.

You're not as isolated as it feels right now. Keep reaching.

 

[Dark.Green.Feathers]

Sorry, took me a while to reply to this but I wanted to.

people out here who have managed to survive pretty deep detachment from all kinds of regular things through dissociation

This is me. Used to be as close to comatose as a conscious person can be, by default. Extremely dissociative. Had no idea how much.

Now I’m much more present. Survived the dissociation and also the getting out of it (as a constant state). I’m still going through stuff, nowhere near done but I’d say it’s a success story, getting to the point I have without dying.
Dissociation aside, stuff has been hellish in my head for years and years… that essentially killed me as well but is much better. Not “fixed” but not constant torture anymore.
Stuff still is very complex and difficult but looking back because of your post, I don’t think we ever comprehended it could ever be this much better… need to keep that in mind. The state I’m in now felt unattainable.

who are less than a genius but above average in comprehension

anxious and scared, analytical

Might apply to these. I’m not that intelligent apart from a few subjects I know really well. Depends what intelligence means. I can comprehend complex ideas but always struggled academically and socially. I always need/like to know “why” on stuff. Like analysing but depends what.
Feel scared a lot.

and having been sheltered and oppressed, and abused or controlled in different ways through their lives making everything a little confusing?

Everything’s confusing for me, I get the sense my abuse was a lot of covert stuff. Lots of confusing ideas. I know what’s right for me, but there’s another narrative going on, too. Lots of them, from other experiences. A lot of very engrained stuff.

Been very rigid, fearful confused, still am but not to the severity of before… feel like I have the ability to think more, and try things, and be curious even if the insight from being curious sucks bad.


Had very little self worth as a kid, my worth came from knowing stuff and never being wrong. Was always very anxious because of that. Not knowing something felt like the end of the world sometimes. The value I got from it wasn’t great but I think that’s what I depended on; Knowing stuff and what to do and being as independent as possible as a kid. Now I’m allowed some of something else. Not always much but… baby steps. It’s less intolerable to not feel I’m worthless. I have days where I can just be and am relaxed enough to show humility and not base everything on somehow innately knowing everything.


Things can definitely improve.