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Abuse comes in many forms. You can be abused by someone else in a relationship, suffer abuse at the hands of an authority figure, or abuse yourself with drugs, alcohol, and other addictions. But starting a journey of self-improvement after any of these helps you stay on track. Please note that these are just some ideas but you need to see a counselor or psychologist or other professional help.
Get the Expert Help You Need
You can go it alone and learn to change your life for the better. But you will have a harder time getting there without support from others. Even if you haven’t suffered from horrible abuse, you might have some unresolved issues that you need help sorting through. There are experts that can help you with all manner of recovery from any kind or severity of abuse. I’ve used BetterHelp.org in the past and it was so helpful for me to work through issues and situations I needed help with.
Maybe you have endured physical, mental, or emotional abuse from others. Seek help to leave the situation. There are many nonprofit communities to help like the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233 and many towns and cities have places you can find haven.
If you have abused drugs you would be forgiven for thinking that you will be locked up like a prisoner. Unlike the movies, that’s not really how it works. Modern approaches like Real Deal Sober Living work by encouraging you to be part of a community helping each other.
Self Improvement Begins with Self Forgiveness
All too often, you will blame yourself for how your life turns out. Many people that have been abused think it is there fault that someone was abusing. That’s part of your trauma to believe it and to cope with the fact that you are stuck or have stayed in contact with the person. But don’t believe that someone abusing you has anything to do with you making you to be abused. It’s their fault. but you can do something. You can get away even if they have brainwashed you to think otherwise.
Of course, you are responsible for the decisions you have made, currently make, and will continue to do so. Yet even the worst decisions of your life may have been influenced by your past. Don’t take this as an excuse for anything you have done. However, you cannot move forward if you don’t learn to forgive yourself. As an abused person, it isn’t your fault, no matter how much conditioning they have done to you.
Talk to Others in the Same Situation
Staying at a facility isn’t for everyone, and it may not be appropriate for you. But that doesn’t mean you should shut yourself off. The entire industry of counseling is there for a reason. And that’s because talking about things really helps. When you talk it through, especially with otters who have been in the same situation, you unburden yourself of your past. Just knowing that you aren’t the only one who experienced something can have a lasting positive impact on you.
Find Ways to Release Your Burden
Talking to a professional or with a group can have a dramatic impact on your mental well-being. But there is more to recovery and improvement, and the road is long. But you can try these:
- First, and as mentioned, you must try to learn and understand that it’s not your fault. You need to speak with a counselor and not be afraid to find a new counselor if they one you are speaking with doesn’t align with your beliefs.
- Keep a diary to note your feelings and triggers so you can recognize your issues.
- Focus on doing what you need to and when in a positive manner to overcome them.
- Find solace in a hobby you love to do and make it your go-to activity to calm yourself.
- Work on creating a support system to help yourself and others in the same ways.
Learning to understand your abuse, why it happened, and how to deal with it is the hardest thing you will ever do. But using some coping methods is a great positive step in the right direction.
Educate Yourself About Your Issues
You can learn about yourself by understanding your past. We can all discover who we are and where we come from. But you could end up in a tailspin trying to understand the motives of someone who abused you. However, you can understand your own. Perhaps your self-abuse stems from previous abuse. This could be domestic violence growing up, spousal issues, or passive aggression from siblings. It can help to learn why you act the way you do as a result.
Educate Others About Self Improvement
When you educate yourself to a certain level, you can begin to help others. A journey of improving yourself is always long, and self-discovery is a key part of it. Be careful to not try to take the role of a counselor or mental health profession. But you can be supportive for other and share what has helped in your situation.It is better to be a good listener and when others need expert help to encourage them to seek professional help. After all, they are not you, and their experiences will be unique to them.
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Know What to Expect on the Journey
Any journey of healing isn’t always as straightforward as you might expect. Don’t get off the road to recovery just because this journey might take longer than you think it should. Because your journey will be a lifetime and each year will add a building block to your recovery. Life is a journey. It is not so much about the destination but the road you take and all the wonders (good and bad) that you will face.
When you look into yourself, you discover things you didn’t know, remember things from the past (or didn’t want to remember), and of course, dredge up strong emotions. As a result, there are bumps in the road. And a common one is to relapse into self-pity, codependency, alcohol, or drug taking, for example. Yet most experts agree that relapse is a core part of recovery. It is how you deal with it afterward by recognizing it yourself that really matters.
After a long time of any kind of abuse, you can find it a challenge to begin self-improvement. You can begin with expert help from a professional, from books, find ways to cope, and know there will be bumps on the way. You survived abuse. You are tougher than you know. You have grown through this season of your life and now it’s time to move on to better days!
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If you are feeling down or depressed for more days than not, please seek medical attention. If you are feeling like you cannot go on, please call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or chat here>>> https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ Or visit the suicide prevention lifeline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
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