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| How Does Abuse And Trauma Effect People? - Page Two |
| Physical Symptoms of Child Abuse May Include: Physical symptoms with no medical cause Feeling betrayed and repulsed by own body Withdrawing or flinching from touch Sleep disturbance Not being 'present' in own body Denial of bodily needs High pain tolerance Eating disorders Drug/alcohol addiction Suicidal thoughts/behaviours Self-mutilation Self-imposed isolation |
| Relationship Problems Might Include: Idealizing, overvaluing, or devaluing others/self Humiliating interactions Fear of commitment Difficulty with trusting others/self with intimacy Self imposed isolation or excessive neediness Toleration of abusive patterns Triangulating others Emotional and physical care-taking of others at own expense Involvement in abusive/criticizing relationships Giving or receiving abuse |
| Sexual Problems Can Include: Inability to differentiate/combine sex, affection and intimacy Sexual orientation confusion Violent or sadomasochistic fantasies/behaviours Unwanted pregnancy/abortion Loss of sexual desire Sexual exploitation through prostitution Genital numbness Sexualising all relationships Pain during intercourse Sexual guilt about sexual pleasure Belief that one's only worth is sexual Inability to orgasm alone or with partner Intrusive flashbacks of forced sex Alternating between sexual abstinence and compulsivity Deep hatred of body and it's sexual response Sexually transmitted disease Sexual revictimization |
| Behavioural Effects of Abuse May Include: Hyperactive, hypervigilant behaviours Impulsivity entering/leaving relationships Compulsive spending, lying, stealing, gambling or working Dangerous risk taking behaviours |
| Please remember that although these effects can be devastating for a very long time, they can and will get better if you get appropriate help and talk through the abuse that you suffered. I wanted to include a full list of effects like this because at times I have felt very alone and very ashamed of some of the things I have thought about and done. I hope this makes some people realise that they are not alone with any of their thoughts or actions, no matter how alone they feel. There are some things that people just don't talk about, but that doesn't mean that they don't think or do them, they are just perhaps too embarrassed to talk about it. |
| Please e-mail me if you have any more effects that I could add to this list, or just if you want to chat about anything on here. |
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