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I was fairly isolated as a child. Our house was in the bush, 10 ks from the nearest village. My parents were alcoholics: chaos, violence, periods without food or clean clothes, toxic secrets, all these were the norm.
I learned to obey, be polite and be good to survive - also to spend lots of time alone in my room or wandering in the bush. These saved my sanity - well, planted a seed of it.
I was bullied at primary school - no friends - didn't know how to relate because my parents never modelled good communication.
I grew up feeling not safe and not trusting.
Loads of therapy, self-help processes, vipassana (mindfulness), and EMDR for PTSD have helped enormously.
I'm now okay at recognising who to trust. These days, I find it rare to be disappointed or surprised.
I learned to obey, be polite and be good to survive - also to spend lots of time alone in my room or wandering in the bush. These saved my sanity - well, planted a seed of it.
I was bullied at primary school - no friends - didn't know how to relate because my parents never modelled good communication.
I grew up feeling not safe and not trusting.
Loads of therapy, self-help processes, vipassana (mindfulness), and EMDR for PTSD have helped enormously.
I'm now okay at recognising who to trust. These days, I find it rare to be disappointed or surprised.
