Surviving Child Abuse

Paula, thank you for opening up your life and pain to people like me. I too was abused by my mentally ill mother. My therapy only started after 53 years when I began to write my story. In some ways I am still troubled but now about the damage abuse causes to others TODAY. Mine happened many years ago before lots of mental health issues were defined. Mother just dissapeeared for months and we were farmed out to relatives. A blessing at the time to live in a normal family. My pain was relived whilst I remembered and wrote about it but am now very aware that my story has helped others. WELL worth the pain. Keep on keeping on, strong lady. We and those suffering in silence right now need your strength. Thank you. Chris Stewart, author 'A bird in a cage and a tin of paint'

[...] of Child Abuse Impact Adult SurvivorsPosted on February 16, 2011 by Holly GrayIf you’re a child abuse survivor you’ve no doubt heard “get over it” on more than one occasion. But I hope no one [...]

Dear Paula, I hope you get it all written down, out of your head, and out of your heart. I hope you find healing as you get rid of each of your memories. Please, don't wait to find someone who will publish your book and stuff... just start writing as quickly as you can... you've carried all the poison long enough. You are indeed a strong lady, for having carried it all without utterly destoying yourself. I hope you find all the help you need, the support, the acceptance, the kindness and the care and the love that you deserve. Blessings. vino.

I know how she feels because I also have several times to commit suicide because of what my step-father did to me and my brother and older sister. I am still some problems with this because there no help for back in the 1960 and 70's. this when our abuses happened to us. My birth mother has several mental problems. She had them when she was a child even. My step father tried to kill us slowly multi, muitl times. He used to throw across the room or down the stairs. He used to beat us and have sex with us a lot until we were taken. I have been diagnosised with several disorders like: Dissassocitative, Panic,PTSD(Post traumatic stress), ADD(attention defecit ), and one more I can remember. Sorry about misspelled words. This what we lived thru growing up. My foster family was good to us, but we still had problems there also. We did not know how to do ANYTHING for ourselves, I mean nothing.

I am Paula and I would like to assure Indigo that my interview was not aimed at a personal attack on people who suffer from DID, nor was it meant to be a stereotype in any way. It was an iota of my story of my experience I had. My mothers fragmenting happened to have stemmed by some horrific experiences from her mother when she was a child. This certainly did not mean to imply of anyone else's circumstances. My goal in partaking in that interview was simply trying to find an author who might be interested in assisting me with writing my book for me on my story. It is very involved and full of daily accounts of personal horrors that I feel will remain with me until I can let them go. My mother has 1 of 6 personalities who happened to hate me because I reminded her of her mother. That is the one who attempted to kill me on numerous occasions. My story and situation is just that. Mine. Not to be confused or mistaken with anyone else. I hope my explanation assisted in the misunderstanding. Paula

I'm concerned that this perpetuates the stereotypes about people with DID. We are the VICTIMS of child abuse. Yes, the cycle of violence can continue if we don't get treatment. But the stigma about it makes it that much harder to get it.
Indigo