Connected Trauma Memories
Whenever I think of a place I've been or a place I'd like to revisit I become overcome with sadness and anxiety. Sometimes the anxiety is so bad that I get triggered (where I struggle to breathe). For example, there is a theatre that I like to go to that I used to go to with my family. I would like to revisit it but I'm also afraid of getting triggered in public.
Through therapy I have found out that it is not the places that I am avoiding. It's the memories associated with those places. Even if I just see pictures of certain places my mind and emotions start to spiral. I so badly want to do a lot of things but now being aware that my family (who abused me) took me to those places makes it really hard. The times that weren't so bad in between the abusive times were times when we would go out and do stuff.
How do I overcome my fear of being triggered in public if I do decide to visit these places? In therapy we have talked about ways to stop the emotional spiraling but it still happens. I guess I should just let it happen sometimes. Thanks for reading. I believe in all of you.
#Childhoodtrauma #PTSD #SexualAbuse #EmotionalAbuse #Trauma #triggers #Memories #Family