Shadows I Survived

substance-abuse

  • Starving for Safety

    Warning: This piece contains descriptive discussions of childhood trauma, including references to physical abuse, emotional and mental abuse, substance abuse, body image issues, profanity, bulimia, anorexia, and the silencing of individuals seeking help. Reader discretion is advised, particularly for those… Continue reading

  • Because I Hadn’t Been Beaten in a While

    Warning: This piece contains descriptive discussions of childhood trauma, including references to physical abuse, emotional and mental abuse, substance abuse, and the silencing of individuals seeking help. Reader discretion is advised, particularly for those who may find these topics sensitive or… Continue reading

  • It is Better to Be Feared Than Respected

    Warning: This piece contains descriptive discussions of childhood trauma, including references to unhealthy body image descriptions, physical abuse, emotional and mental abuse, substance abuse, thoughts of suicide, and the silencing of individuals seeking help. Reader discretion is advised, particularly for those… Continue reading

  • Friday Night Thoughts; Do I Hate My Father?

    As I sit here, I am surrounded by piles of work. I live in a constant state of exhaustion, overwhelmed, and overstimulated. Even when I sleep, I never fully rest. A question kept popping in my mind, tell them. Starting… Continue reading

  • Reflection; The Day I Lost My Safe Space

    Writing The Day I Lost My Safe Space broke me open. I sobbed uncontrollably. The memory is still so clear and so fresh that simply revisiting it shattered my heart almost as fiercely as the day it happened. [If you… Continue reading

  • Stuffed Animal Graveyard

    Warning: This piece contains descriptive discussions of childhood trauma, including references to child abuse, physical abuse, emotional and mental abuse, alcohol abuse, animal abuse, and the silencing of individuals seeking help.  Reader discretion is advised, particularly for those who may… Continue reading

  • What Goes on in This Family

    Warning: This piece contains non‑descriptive discussions of childhood trauma, including references to child abuse, physical abuse, emotional and mental abuse, alcohol abuse, and the silencing of individuals seeking help. Reader discretion is advised, particularly for those who may find these… Continue reading

  • Hello World, I’m Terrified, but I’m Still Here

    I have written this blog dozens of times in my head. Each time, the words spill out, everything I want to say, all at once. The desperate need to share it all, yet I still haven’t found the right order… Continue reading