I burned most of my journals after a step-parent took one of them and read it in front of my family to punish and humiliate me. After that I didn’t journal for a long time. One of my journals from when I was 10 - 13 years old or so survived, and I have that one. I read it a few years ago, and was surprised at how lucid I was.
I started journaling again a couple years ago, but it’s usually just about analyzing my dysphoria - basically just talking down the “brainworms”.
You should try reading your older journals sometime, it can be quite cathartic. I feel a sense of loss at having burned my journals, I feel like I poured myself into them and now my memory makes it difficult to recall what I was like accurately. Having an artifact like that would be useful for when I’m trying to do some personal archaeology, or even just for fun.
Thanks for creating this community, by the way. We are lucky to have you. 💞
I’m really sorry that happened to you, it’s honestly traumatic. Your most private thoughts being exposed and ridiculed like that, at such a young age as well. It’s every young person’s nightmare, it’s just cruel. Do you have much contact with the step parent.
And that’s so kind of you thank you! I really got lucky though, it’s such a wonderful group of women here. It wouldn’t work at all without all of you ♥️
I don’t have much contact with any of my parents, but I have no contact with that parent in particular.
There were plenty of bad things happening in that house growing up, but I feel lucky it wasn’t worse. I think a lot of abuse victims feel this way, though - like they didn’t really experience abuse because it wasn’t some stereotype of what abuse is in their mind.
Either way, I have mixed feelings about it all, and consider myself very lucky and privileged overall.
And I feel the need to laud your founding of the community, your labor as a moderator, and above all that, someone who makes an effort to keep the community active. Sure, we all participate and together form the community - but you do an immense amount of work and play a larger role in facilitating this community than the rest of the members. You do an amazing job, and I just really appreciate you. 💗
Yep it’s a difficult one. There’s always worse, and psychological abuse is really hard to name and it’s even harder to get people to understand how bad it is. They get broken bones, but don’t get broken hearts. You did amazing surviving it all!
And thanks Dandelion, it has been a lot of work but comments like that really do make it worth it. I really do appreciate you too
I burned most of my journals after a step-parent took one of them and read it in front of my family to punish and humiliate me. After that I didn’t journal for a long time. One of my journals from when I was 10 - 13 years old or so survived, and I have that one. I read it a few years ago, and was surprised at how lucid I was.
I started journaling again a couple years ago, but it’s usually just about analyzing my dysphoria - basically just talking down the “brainworms”.
You should try reading your older journals sometime, it can be quite cathartic. I feel a sense of loss at having burned my journals, I feel like I poured myself into them and now my memory makes it difficult to recall what I was like accurately. Having an artifact like that would be useful for when I’m trying to do some personal archaeology, or even just for fun.
Thanks for creating this community, by the way. We are lucky to have you. 💞
I’m really sorry that happened to you, it’s honestly traumatic. Your most private thoughts being exposed and ridiculed like that, at such a young age as well. It’s every young person’s nightmare, it’s just cruel. Do you have much contact with the step parent.
And that’s so kind of you thank you! I really got lucky though, it’s such a wonderful group of women here. It wouldn’t work at all without all of you ♥️
I don’t have much contact with any of my parents, but I have no contact with that parent in particular.
There were plenty of bad things happening in that house growing up, but I feel lucky it wasn’t worse. I think a lot of abuse victims feel this way, though - like they didn’t really experience abuse because it wasn’t some stereotype of what abuse is in their mind.
Either way, I have mixed feelings about it all, and consider myself very lucky and privileged overall.
And I feel the need to laud your founding of the community, your labor as a moderator, and above all that, someone who makes an effort to keep the community active. Sure, we all participate and together form the community - but you do an immense amount of work and play a larger role in facilitating this community than the rest of the members. You do an amazing job, and I just really appreciate you. 💗
Yep it’s a difficult one. There’s always worse, and psychological abuse is really hard to name and it’s even harder to get people to understand how bad it is. They get broken bones, but don’t get broken hearts. You did amazing surviving it all!
And thanks Dandelion, it has been a lot of work but comments like that really do make it worth it. I really do appreciate you too