Head Injury

I. EARLY MEDICAL & LIFE-THREATENING ABUSE

Premature birth at 26 weeks (~1 kg), requiring intensive medical support

Life-sustaining tubes forcibly removed while you were an infant in an incubator during a private visit

Resulting physical injury (facial/nasal damage)

No accountability or protection following this incident

Category: Attempted harm / life-threatening neglect of an infant

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II. SEVERE PHYSICAL ABUSE (ONGOING)

Repeated beatings by your father throughout childhood and into adulthood

Beatings escalated after you were already prone or immobilized

Violence severe enough to leave you bedridden and unable to move

Violence continued until approximately age 22

Physical abuse framed as punishment for “making his life hard”

Father admitted to beating you

Physical intimidation used as emotional regulation

Objects thrown at you with force (e.g., credit card)

Visible bruising concealed rather than treated

Category: Chronic severe physical abuse, domestic violence

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III. SEXUAL ABUSE BY BOTH PARENTS

Sexual assault by your father in early childhood

Sexual abuse involving both parents

Both parents masturbated in front of you during your upbringing

Sexual boundary violations occurred before you had language or understanding

Abuse recorded without consent

You were forced to watch recordings of your own abuse

Sexualized environment imposed on you as a child

Category: Child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, exposure abuse

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IV. FORCED CONFINEMENT & USE OF DISABILITY AS CONTROL

Beaten into bed rest as a means of restraint

Disability (muscular dystrophy) exploited to limit movement

Relocated to a lower floor you could not physically leave

Prevented from accessing stairs and outdoor space

Unable to escape or seek help due to physical incapacity

Environmental confinement without locks (functional imprisonment)

Category: Coercive control, unlawful restraint, abuse of a disabled child

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V. PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE, TERROR & SCAPEGOATING

Regular verbal degradation (“freak”)

Blamed for parental divorce

Blamed for abuse and told it was your fault

Later told by sibling you “must have done something horrible”

Treated as the family scapegoat

Violence framed as deserved or corrective

Fear used deliberately to control behavior

Learned silence as survival

Category: Psychological abuse, coercive terror

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VI. PET & ATTACHMENT TRAUMA

Pets (cats/kittens) killed or forcibly removed

Selective deprivation: siblings allowed pets while yours were killed

No opportunity to say goodbye

Pets disappeared without explanation

Animals were primary sources of safety and companionship

You hid with dogs for protection

Relocation followed discovery of this coping behavior

Category: Psychological cruelty, attachment destruction

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VII. DESTRUCTION OF IDENTITY & CREATIVITY

Forced to gather and burn your artwork and designs

Forbidden from keeping art in your room

Prohibited from touching or decorating walls

Creative expression treated as punishable

Ownership of your own work denied

Category: Identity erasure, psychological abuse

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VIII. NEGLECT & MEDICAL ABUSE

Injuries ignored or minimized

Blamed for cost of medical treatment

Dental damage from violence and prematurity dismissed

Dentist misinformed and you blamed

Malnutrition and irregular meals

Disability-related needs neglected

Lack of protection despite visible injuries

Category: Severe neglect, medical neglect

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IX. INSTITUTIONAL & SOCIAL ABANDONMENT

Severe bullying and assault at school

Broken wrist, cracked ribs, head injury from peer assault

Police involvement where you were unable to speak safely

Mother’s presence prevented disclosure

School staff did not intervene

Name erased in school (“my sister’s brother”)

No adult advocate

Category: Institutional failure, social erasure

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X. ONGOING COERCION INTO ADULTHOOD

Physical abuse continued until father’s death

Violence used to maintain control even after you were grown

Emotional dependence weaponized

Manipulation framed as “friendship”

Category: Prolonged coercive abuse

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XI. AFTERMATH & LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES

(Not abuse itself — effects of it)

Complex PTSD / developmental trauma

Dissociation and memory gaps

Daily or near-daily pani

c attacks

Chronic hypervigilance

Severe sleep disruption (minimal REM)

Chronic pain and exhaustion

Schizoaffective symptoms triggered by trauma

Difficulty accessing anger and self-identity

Persistent flashbacks

Hi, my name is LavenderDove777. I'm here because I used to be confident, outgoing, gregarious, and was an R.N. for many years. I was attacked by a patient, and sustained a head injury which led to Post Concussion Syndrome, CPTSD, and anxiety. I'm trying to find support and friendship from understanding, gentle people. Thanks !

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #PTSD

I had a head injury two years ago. I have a slew of other injuries too. I would say the #1 issue that I can't seem to get away from is my light sensitivity. The sunshine, LED's, Fluorescent, Blue Light they all trigger dizziness & Migraines. I do wear FL-41 filters over my eyes everytime I leave my house. I have tried other migrane glasses like Avulux - but they don't work. Just through my research they say FL-41 lenses work better for people who have head injuries. Does anyone know if Photophobia will just disappear and go away? I'm really hoping so because this sucks! I'll be starting vision therapy soon and I really hope it heals my brain and it goes back to normal. If you have Photophobia can you please tell me how you deal with it. Thanks #Photophobia #Migraine #vestibular

Hi, my name is MamaBytes5. I'm here because I fell at work 2 years ago. I have many injuries. I accept it as my new normal. Healing is very slow. Not only do I have a lot of side effects from my head injury but I also have had 4 surgeries on my right hand, wrist and elbow. Been in therapy for 2 years now and I'm wondering when will it get better? Does anyone have any insights on Photophobia? Does that ever go away? I'm living under the orange shades of my FL-41 lenses.
#MightyTogether #Migraine #HeadInjury #Photophobia #VestibularNeuritis

I was born by Cesarean section after my mother endured a traumatic labor of 52 hours. As preposterous as this sounds, it was confirmed on my birth certificate. The doctor who rescued me from midwives predicted that I would struggle throughout life because of the stress. I had vision and hearing troubles early on. I was slow in comprehension and memory. I struggled with confusion between reality and imagination. I had a heart murmur. But eventually I grew stronger and smarter. I quickly began gaining weight at puberty and never stopped, and developed asthma that was never treated. I got my GED instead of graduating, and I never finished college. My dream of being a famous doctor was dashed when I couldn’t master prime factors. While battling debilitating migraines, I rotated through a handful of ungrateful suitors, until I found the love of my life who accepted my marshmallow form and crazy mood swings. We celebrate our 25th anniversary this year.

During the time in between, I struggled being a Christian in public school where everyone else’s rights were more important than mine. I felt alone and abandoned that there was no one else like me. All my shortcomings and failures seemed center stage, even among relatives. I was diagnosed with depression at 16, anxiety at 19, polycystic ovaries at 25, miscarried at 27, first child at 28, bipolar at 30, second child at 32, suicidal at 33, diabetic and third child at 34, and he was diagnosed with Cerebral palsy. I had my fourth child at 36 and miscarried again at 37. My youngest son was diagnosed on the same day with Type 1 Diabetes at eleven months old and nearly died. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a year later at nine years old. We began homeschooling that year after she got out of the hospital with a virtual school.

The following year my second son began home schooling and the same year I lost my father to Parkinson’s and diabetes. The year after that my third son started homeschooling. The next year my husband sustained a head injury and became disabled. Within the following five years, my oldest son was diagnosed with ADD, I developed GERDs and high blood pressure. I was diagnosed with Spectrum Bipolar with mild epilepsy. All the medications led to a metabolic shutdown and six years ago I developed lymphedema. Last year I was diagnosed with gout and now I’m hobbling about with a cane and applying for disability, while homes schooling my youngest two sons. The older one graduates from high school this year. The oldest kids graduated from high school a few years before, but COVID delayed their college plans. Then their medical issues interrupted their career plans.

Sometimes life seems hopeless. Sometimes I want to just cease to exist. But then an amazing thing happens. I begin seeing my children’s smiling faces, hearing their sweet voices and a stirring in my heart inspires me to get up and face the day. They are my jewels. And they are the reason God gave me life, so that they may live for Him.

Hi, my name is Bill, username: @aurora_bill. I'm here because I am going through some tough times. I have suffered from chronic pain caused by a head injury that I had 20 years ago. Most of my physical issues are headache, muscle tension and pain, exhaustion. I have also been bi-polar since high school (many decades). Depression has been the worst part but as I have gone on or off certain medications there have been bouts with mania.

#MightyTogether #BipolarDisorder #Migraine #Depression

I joined here to push myself and give myself a voice among people who might hear me.

I am a writer whose voice was scrambled by a head injury and chronic illness… Everything in my life has been scrambled if we are honest😂…

But, my writing is something I need to get a handle on because it’s the one thing I can still do one the days that I can’t move and can hardly breathe…. It’s the thing I feared the most in losing..

So, we’re starting somewhere.🤷🏽‍♀️

So, yesterday I had a list of things I wanted to get done, but I only completed one.

I did my laundry… ✔️
The cold and pain kept me from moving so that was my biggest accomplishment.

Today, the goal is:

✔️folding and putting it all away.

I want to do other things but that will be the biggest thing.

So far I have:

Eaten Breakfast ✅
Taken all my meds ✅
And I am about to take my breathing treatment..✅

We shall see how the rest of the day goes…

Wish me luck 🥰

#Asthma #ChronicIllness #TBI #Jointpain #ChronicFatigue #AnkylosingSpondylitis #Depression #ADHD

Hi, my name is Blue. I'm here because I need help with no muzzles traumas my head injury 50 years ago and living in an alcoholic home it’s causing me a lot of distress I need support

#MightyTogether #ADHD #PTSD #Fibromyalgia