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3 Crappy Things That Happened After Surviving Abuse

December 24, 2013 Kellie Jo Holly

Surviving abuse: challenging. Leaving abuse: euphoric! Now I have perspective on 3 crappy things that happened after I left my abusive marriage.

Surviving abuse feels like a miracle. Over all, surviving my abusive marriage has been a wonderful, empowering experience. However, my recovery from domestic abuse hasn't gone exactly as I thought it would. Some things have been downright crappy. This year, the happiness of surviving abuse is diminishing. The crappy is beginning to outweigh the happy. Surviving abuse is a beautiful accomplishment. Surviving recovery . . . well that's what this story is about.

For the purposes of this blog post, the italicized him is that loathsome entity who wished to erase my soul. You know, the Abuse Demon, the presence that kills independent thinking and your soul. Okay, let's not be overly dramatic. He, him, and all other italicized words refer to my ex abuser.

Since Surviving Abuse, Healing Isn't Always Pleasant

To Forget Or Not To Forget, and Do I Even Have a Choice

First on my list of crappy experiences after surviving abuse is the always present memory of him and how we acted together. (After Leaving Abuse: Memories of The Fantasy Relationship) I remember letting him lead me down The La-La Trail into his imaginary world where he was the omnipotent being.

I remember thinking he was everywhere (or, at least his friends who were tasked with keeping an eye on me were).

I remember his scoffing behind me as I wrote.

I remember the tremor of fear that went through me when his boots hit the floor, signalling that he was in for the night (believe it or not, I could tell what kind of night it would be by the sound his boots made as they fell).

I remember paying so much attention to him that I failed to pay attention to myself, and to an extent, failed to pay attention to my children.

Both of my boys have told me that their childhoods were "lonely". My heart broke to hear that. I was a stay at home mom. I was right there. But they were lonely. My fear of what he would do next occupied so much of my brainpower that I couldn't comprehend the relationship needs of my babies. If I have any life regrets, that is it.

I remember skipping down The La-La Trail not only because it was traumatic and my brain replays memories of those traumas at will, but because I am afraid to forget it. If I forget it, I might repeat it. Those memories are in the past, but omnipresent. He and our dysfunctional life together, are in the past. But the memories of abuse are also very much in my present. I wish they would just go away.

I want new memories, but making good ones seems to carry a 50-50 chance of being compared to the memories I made with him. I eagerly await the day when there's enough time between me and him that memories of him don't intrude on my present.

Paranoia And Driving Away Good Men

Second on my list of crappy things that happened after abuse involves my paranoia combined with the fact I know I'm paranoid. Which makes me double and triple guess everything I decide. Or don't decide. Can't decide.

Once upon a time before him, I had a wonderful boyfriend to whom I compared all others. I could hold up a new boyfriend to the old one and give a thumbs up or down pretty easily. But my ex passed that test with flying colors (Warning Signs of Future Abuse in Your Relationship).

And the really sorry thing is that I had a chance to reunite with the model boyfriend, but turned it down because I was already afraid of what he might do to me. Existing in abuse with him robbed me of that high standard and replaced it with a paranoid comparison between men and him.

 

Today, instead of focusing on a man's positive qualities, I listen intently for his mistakes. (Was that verbal abuse? Did he just dis me on purpose? Is he emotionally abusing me? his kids? his dog? Does killing a fly mean he abuses animals? Is there evidence that he'll turn on me later?) It's enough to make me crazy, and probably doesn't do too much good for someone who might like me.

And, to top it off, I can't keep my mouth shut about abuse. I talk about it all the time. Not my abuse, but domestic violence in general. I'm an encyclopedia of domestic abuse, every word I've read burned passionately on my insides. I feel like The Abuse Monitor, jotting down names and keeping track of demerits that could get you kicked off the bus.

Leaving abuse made me feel great about myself and the euphoria lasted about a year. Now, 4 years later, I'm finding the abuse still intrudes a bit on my life.But, on the other hand, I've learned to ask more questions like, "Do you mean that you think I'm stupid because . . . ?" Directly confronting my paranoia (a.k.a. possible abuse) helps. A lot. Abusers aren't used to being called on their crap and typically answer sarcastically, and non-abusers look befuddled before saying anything.

Avoiding Relationship Abuse Doesn't Make Me Immune to Addicts

Number three on my list of crappy things is learning that avoiding abuse did not help me avoid substance abusers. Substance abusers, if you haven't noticed, are emotional roller coasters that will not stop to let you off no matter how much you beg (Effects of Substance Abuse on Family Members). You simply have to jump off and hope you land on your feet. Which, this year, I did not. I landed on my heart and there's a huge goose egg on it.

The friend who broke my heart into little bitty pieces didn't do it because he wanted to control me. He did it because he relapsed into his addiction. And really, I broke my heart more than he did because I'm the one who chose to walk away. The emotional roller coaster looping around substance abuse is different from the one encircling domestic violence. The only thing they have in common is the possibility of losing myself either on The La-La Trail of relationship abuse or in the pit of substance codependency.

But at the end of the crap, I must remember that surviving abuse is my super power. I left my abuser and found a healthier life; I'll never ever regret leaving. Although surviving abuse and then leaving it carries its own type of trouble, I'd rather live the life I'm creating for me than the life he wanted to create for me.

You can find Kellie Jo Holly on her website, Google+, Facebook and Twitter.

*Both women and men could be abusers or victims, so do not take my pronoun choices as an implication that one gender abuses and the other is victimized.

APA Reference
Jo, K. (2013, December 24). 3 Crappy Things That Happened After Surviving Abuse, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, December 23 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/verbalabuseinrelationships/2013/12/crappy-things-after-abuse



Author: Kellie Jo Holly

katie
February, 8 2015 at 8:07 pm

I am so sad that this rings so completely true for so many of us. I personally am past the #1 issue, however the second is exactly where I'm at in my life right now. How do you ever trust another man or even yourself again. Still trying to figure that out. I can't lie as much as an advocate against domestic violence I've become I still don't feel undamaged enough to have a relationship. As those immediate issues are dealt with more arise and start everything all over again. At this time being alone feels safer for me as even seeing men in public can be overwhelming and bring back that fear.
While I'm being strong on the outside for my daughter's is building a wall I don't think I'll be able to take back down.
Anyway thanks for posting this

shir
December, 30 2013 at 10:59 am

Wow ive been through it. Im not remarried at all just a half yr since but abuse beats u to the core. But i always say before couples sperate keep trying. Theres a jewish couple who tried 23! Therapists and thank gpd theyre happy. But that takes a spouse! Try try n try if u fail then bail urself out of abuse

Pearl
December, 27 2013 at 7:36 am

Thanks for this article. I left my abusive husband when my kids were age 3 and 5. 12 years ago. It's been a long hard slog particularly financially. All these years later, he is doing so well that he can take the kids overseas once a year. He continues to appear and present very well and I find myself wrestling with whether I did the right thing. He's in a relationship where it's looking like they are very happy while I continue to be single after a long line of more abusive drop kick men. I'm actually not game to get involved with anyone and am trying to be at peace being single before I hopefully change my pattern of being attracted to this type of man. Good luck and best wishes to all of us for a truly prosperous and peaceful 2014.

Minyonp
December, 27 2013 at 6:47 am

Hi Kellie, I'm so glad that you posted this. Everyone thinks I should be happy that the ex is out of my life but there are so many things that remind me of him and the abuse. I think my euphoria lasted about a month before I realized what really happened to me. I'm so glad that I'm no longer in the relationship but I'm not sure how my past will impact future relationships. I did so much research on abuse after leaving the relationship, so now I'm very careful about figuring out what people are really saying. Life after abuse is still difficult but in a different way, I hope 2014 is better for both of us.

Michael Skinner
December, 26 2013 at 2:16 am

Well said Kelly...many of us have been in similar situations, feelings and thoughts. The book "Trust After Trauma" by Aphrodite Matsakis helped me to begin the trust needed to be in a relationship - as a male abused by some females...it took a while...but it did.
Keep writing!!!
Take care, Mike
www.mskinnermusic.com - Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health through music, resources & advocacy & www.survivingspirit.com

Joy
December, 25 2013 at 1:20 pm

Kellie, funny I should read this today. This morning noticed myself straining to hear how my husband was breathing. If he breaths faster and nasally, there's a good chance he'll go me about something. So what you said about the boots, oh boy, I get it!
As for the rest of your post, I get that too. It doesn't take much conversation with people to know that everyone is carrying a load of something that's difficult to deal with. I know that if, or when, I leave, I will exchange one set of difficulties for another. The new issues may be something I can't even envision yet. But I suspect the time will come when I just can not endure THIS situation any longer. Right now, my pros and cons lists keep me here. A former abuse victim told me just yesterday, that when the time comes, I'll know and I will just HAVE to get out.
I appreciate your honesty. It's good to be reminded that there will still be troubles. Most of us know that anyway.
Peace, love and light on the roadway ahead to you.

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