MeBeMary

Hi Nautica and welcome. I am very sorry for all the trauma you've experienced and the struggles you face. It was unfair and undeserved. Do know that you have found a community filled with others who understand and support you. You are not alone. Feel free to look around and interact where you feel comfortable. I wish you many steps forward on this often difficult path of healing. Mary

You are very welcome! Your reply is just fine! Quoting is a good way to address what was said by someone. The original post and reply are also appropriate for this forum. It may have been awhile, but it seems you are getting the feel back for how it works. I look forward to seeing you around the forum!

Hi VagrantAmygdala, Welcome to AfterSilence. I am sorry for all you've been thru and that there are still struggles. Not uncommon, but still sorry that you have to deal with any of it. You've found a supportive community with many kind people who get it. And you are right. It's hard to explain or relay what we've gone thru to others who just don't understand. It's not just an unfortunate incident and it's over and done. We were victimized, yet we have to find that way to move forward and it does take hard work and time. Most non-survivors just don't get this. I'm glad you've heard fr

Hi Millie, Welcome to AfterSilence. I am very sorry for the trauma you endured and the struggles you still face. You've found a support community with many understanding and kind members. You are not alone. Be assured, you aren't the first one to acknowledge or deal with the aftermath years later. I found AS 11 years ago, but only after 30 years of living in denial, not only to what happened, but all the struggles I was facing. I just felt as if there was something wrong with me and there was no direction connection. I realized how wrong I was and finding this place and speaking to o

Hi Ingrid, Welcome to After Silence. I am very sorry for the trauma you've endured and the struggles you still face. It was wrong, unfair, and undeserved. You have found a supportive community with many understanding and kind members. Sadly, much of what you say is not unusual, considering what you've been thru. Many have trust issues, many have confidence issues and many have struggled...far beyond when the trauma had ended. We understand how difficult it is. We can relate and I hope in some way, it makes you feel less alone. Take your time and look around, interact where you

Hi Kaff and welcome back. I am sorry you didn't get more responses when you were here the first time. It can be very difficult feeling you are not heard. You are worthy enough to be heard. It sounds that you've gone thru a lot recently and I'm glad you are giving the site another chance. I hope you find it helpful this time around. Do know that there are others who understand and are willing to support you. Interacting can be difficult yet be the best way to connect to others. I'm glad you did find your way back here just not by the unfortunate difficulties you are going thru.

Hi Babykeamy. Welcome to the community. I am sorry you have reason to be here but hope being here helps you in your quest for healing. We are here for you, and you are not alone. Mary

Hi Lhazel and welcome. I am very sorry for the reasons why you are here, but glad you decided to reach out. The community is filled with supportive and understanding people. You are not alone. It sounds as if you have wonderful goals, which I believe is always helpful to have as you navigate the road of healing. Having hobbies are wonderful, too! I find many survivors have creative outlets, just as you have. With all this, finding a community that understands is still a great thing too. You are right that it can be difficult to find someone who understands. We are thankful they haven

~~~~traducción al español (Spanish translation)~~~~ Hola Alegria, Bienvenido/a a After Silence. Lamento que tengas estos motivos, pero me alegra que hayas decidido contactarnos. Como puedes ver, tenemos algunos miembros que pudieron comunicarse contigo, pero no quiero que la barrera del idioma te impida buscar apoyo. Tenemos miembros de todo el mundo, pero en la plataforma, el inglés es el idioma principal. No te preocupes, muchos han podido traducir e interactuar a pesar de esta diferencia. Usé el Traductor de Google para que me entiendas, pero nuestro miembro awi t

Hi Lila and welcome to the community. I'm very sorry for what you've been thru and disappointed and annoyed that you had multiple therapists dismiss your feelings and experiences. You will not find such disregard here. You, your feelings, and your story matter. You deserve support and healing. This community has many understanding and kind members who will be able to relate and validate, if not by actual experience, then by struggles. I am glad you found us and decided to reach...tho this is the first I've heard of AI recommending us. It still gave you the opportunity to find us, so I'm

Hi 13579survivorthrive, I'm sorry you know a survivor and are one yourself. It is a lot to have to go thru. The person you are supporting is lucky to have that support. You likely know that sometimes true supporters are rare to find, as it is often easier to disregard it, to ignore it, or to place the blame on the person hurt. So, when one does, it's a gift. I wish both you and the person you are supporting the best. Mary

Hi Mel, Welcome to AfterSilence. I am so sorry for what happened to you when you were young. It was wrong and unfair. I do hope you know it was not your fault! This is a community with many supportive and kind individuals who understand. I'm glad you decided to reach out. I know it might be difficult to try something new like this, but please feel free to take your time and look around. You can share as little or as much you like in the time frame that is comfortable for you. We validate you and your experiences regardless of what is shared. I wish you many steps forward as you

Hi PMPazo. Welcome to AfterSilence. I'm so sorry you have reason to be here, but glad you decided to reach out. You will find this a supportive community with many understanding and kind individuals. You are not alone. Please note, you don't have to ask for anything. You may use this site in whatever way is comfortable for you. Some members just read; others support others or give kind words. Some share to make others feel that they are understood. Some post asking for support. You may do any of these, or a combination, depending on your mood. There is no right or wrong answer.

Hi there, Welcome to AfterSilence. I am sorry you have reason to be here, yet glad you decided to reach out. You will find this a supportive community with many understanding and kind individuals. You are not alone. Take all the time you need. There is no requirement to rush before you are ready. I suggest just looking around until you feel more comfortable. I wish you many steps on your path of healing. Mary

Hello Lise, Welcome to AfterSilence. I am so sorry you have and still experience trauma. It is not right and it's not fair. I'm sorry you can't call yourself a survivor yet, but it does look as if you are doing your best to survive until you are able to free yourself. I do hope that comes soon. You deserve freedom from such a life. You are welcome to share as little or as much as you feel comfortable with. There is no timeline or requirement in how you use this community to help you. Some just read. Some just try to support others. Some post a little, some post a lot. It is what is r

Hi Decrescendo, Welcome to AfterSilence. I am very sorry for what has led you here. It was wrong, unfair, and undeserved. You have found a supportive community with many understanding and kind members. You are not alone. Personally, I am much like you. I'm either at work or at home alone (with my wonderful furbaby, Shyla). I am not comfortable going out...yet miss having a typical social life others can seemingly have. I think that might describe quite a few of us. I do find solace here tho, with other understanding and kind survivors. I hope you will find that bit of commandry here,

Hi April and welcome. I am very sorry for the trauma you endured and the struggles you have faced. You have found a supportive group with many understanding members. You are not alone. I would suggest taking it at your own pace. Read or respond to others and when you feel ready post or share what you are comfortable in sharing. Everyone is at a different point of the healing road...but the important thing is we are on that road. It's a powerful quote. I'm glad it's one you can relate to and feel empowered by. What gives me strength is being able to give back and to also pay it

Hi Yarnable and welcome! I am very sorry for what you've gone thru, but you have found a supportive community that really understands...if not by the same type of trauma, then by the struggles we survivors face in its aftermath. It's a safe, welcoming and healing place to be. There is no pressure to share or interact more than you are comfortable with. We go by one pace here and that is one's own individual pace. We are just glad you decided to reach out. Personally, I've been a lifelong introvert myself, so know the difficulties of trusting and socializing with others. I have

Hi pistachio. Welcome to AfterSilence. I am very sorry you have reasons to be here, but I am glad you decided to reach out. What happened to you was unfair and undeserved and being recent, I'm sure there is still a lot of shock and confusion you are dealing with. I'm very sorry you went thru this. You will find this a place with many understanding and supportive members. You are not alone. Your intro was just fine and what we expect in this public forum...a brief intro and a reason why you are here. There will be plenty of time to post more in our private forums when you feel comfort

Hi JesseRose, Welcome to Aftersilence. I am so sorry for the trauma that happened to you 16 years ago, as well as the more current assault. Both were wrong, undeserved and unfair. I'm sorry you endured both instances. I'm sorry that the second caused flashbacks of the first. No individual has a right to touch another, stranger or no. I'm sorry you endured this. It takes courage to be open, even if this your norm. There is something to be said for others who've been thru it understand a bit more. It's sad that it has happen to other of your family members and your friend. I wish you t

Hello Rebecca, Welcome to AfterSilence. Altho, I am sad you have reasons to be here, I'm glad you decided to reach out. You will find this a supportive community with many understanding and kind people. You are not alone. It is good to have support, but I agree, there is a difference between those who really understand and don't. The weight of the pain and struggles is truly difficult to express, explain, or comprehend...sometimes to ourselves, but almost always to those who haven't experience the trauma we've had. I hope you will feel less lonely here. Take your time and look a

Hi Ellie. Welcome to the community! I am very sorry for what you endured as a child. It was wrong and unfair for anyone to hurt you. You have found a supportive site with many understanding and kind members. You are not alone. I believe all of us here relate in one way or another. If it's not the same abuse, it's the struggles associated with it. Many of us who have had childhood abuse do have fragments and blurry images. Many of us have tried to suppress it. Trauma is hard to comprehend for an adult, but as a child...when the mind isn't fully developed to process it, it can be extre

Welcome back to the community! With a year, you will see some other fresh faces around here, and a few regulars that I'm sure you'll remember. Wishing you the best on your continued journey.