Support Groups Help Heal

    

 

      Have you ever felt trapped within your own home? Feel as if you can’t speak your mind without some type of negative comment flying in your direction? Deliberately choosing your words carefully so that you don’t send your partner into a blind rage? Do you put on a play when the whole world is watching?  Pretending life couldn’t be better when in fact you would like nothing more than to scream behind closed doors….you have no idea how many women feel your pain. 

      Support groups are a great way to meet with women who share some of the same experiences you do. One of the hardest steps in learning to live beyond abuse is learning how to talk about some of the things you have been through with your abuser. I am sure you know no one around your circle will ever understand, but the women in these support groups will relate to you in so many ways. 

      In most states, these types of resources are available to the public at no cost. There are always nonprofit organizations you can research on the internet that will lead you to local groups, counselors or shelters if you feel the need to take advantage of that help. There are crisis lines that you can call to talk anonymously if you would rather have that line of communication instead.

      You can find out more about these resources at your county Department of Human Services as well as at local hospitals. There is always a place where you can feel safe. All you have to do is ask and you can always say it is for a friend if you feel embarrassed asking for yourself. It is important that you open up to these experiences as a part of the healing process.

       I know all we would rather do is pretend it never happened, but it did happen and if we ignore it there are higher risks of drug and alcohol dependency as well as depression and anxiety. I did not even know these resources even existed when I endured 6 harsh years all physical, mental and emotional abuse and I wish I had. Keeping it bottled up will never help you get your life back. You may have your freedom, but you need your mind, you need your trust and you need your self-esteem to survive.