Shame, blame and guilt are huge issues within PTSD and particularly in complex PTSD.

I felt shame, blame and guilt for decisions I have made in the past.

 

I felt shame and guilt about the abuse I endured, mostly because of the abuse I also endured from my family, who had no empathy about anything that happened to me and blamed me for a lot. I was their scapegoat.

I don't feel the same level of shame and guilt anymore.

 

Do you struggle with shame and guilt?

Please know, any abuse you endured, no matter who it was from, was never your fault.

 

Nothing you did, made what the abuser did, okay, or your fault.

And if trauma/abuse affected your choices later on in your life, then please know the affects of trauma and abuse - does affect choices and having self compassion about that, is needed.
 

This re-programming of the toxic shame abuse survivors feel, takes time, often requires therapy to address.

 

 

Shame is common within PTSD

 

The shame of having a mental health disorder, can be very hard to manage. Society and stigma, feeds in to the belief for many, that mental health is shameful, makes you weird, makes you a freak.

 

Mental health, is stigmatised throughout society.

 

It is one of my aims, to help reduce the stigma related to mental health and particularly PTSD.

 

There is no shame in having a mental health disorder, anymore than having a physical health disorder.

 

It takes considerable courage and strength, to acknowledge a mental health disorder and reach out and seek help.

 

I view my mental health disorder, as an injury, as a result of complex trauma.

 

PTSD does not mean I have poor mental health, in fact I have been told by my counsellor and doctor, my mental health is very strong, in some ways stronger than your average person.

 

So, join me, in not feeling ashamed of having PTSD.

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