The Reasons People With Complex PTSD Self-Isolate
Learning compassion for those suffering from complex trauma
“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort.” Bessel van der Kolk
Let me start by saying that this may be a trigger warning for some, and I apologize to anyone who may find this emotionally disturbing, but I feel this needs to be said, so it can be better understood.
To say…”the past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort” is an understatement. Yes, it’s alive. It can’t be shut off or escaped. It wakes us up with nightmares. It screws with our appetite and our weight plummets. It causes headaches, nervous conditions, hives, anger, depression, and anxiety. These are on a good day.
On a bad day, many feel hopeless, suicidal.
It has us believing we somehow “deserved” the trauma. It keeps us chained to the narrative taught in childhood that we weren’t good enough. Or, when we got another beating. Or, when our caregiver told us we were never wanted. When we cried ourselves to sleep at night…only to relive another round of it the next day, or the next week.
