370- Living in a religious cult 5 : Education Edition

When I started my first entry in this series, I hadn't anticipated I'd be at part 5 (nor that I'd alternate the words Living, and Growing), but since I believe in the importance of telling the trauma story, and to raise awareness about the damaging aspects of growing up, or living, in a religious cult, I hereby combine this with another subject I'm passionate about : Education. 

369- The Trauma Story

In the PTSD therapy book, edited by Ochberg, which I read a few months ago, on pages 304 - 305 which are in chapter 14, it is stated that telling one's trauma story is the centerpiece of therapy.  I'll go further, and add that it is central to one's healing process - in and out of therapy. 

This entry also serves for PTSD awareness month. 

368- PTSD vs CPTD

By the very nature of the topics at hand, trigger warning applies - including the wiki article.

I continue my entries for PTSD awareness month, with another mixed entry - describing both general aspects of it, and personal examples to illustrate. Today's topic is the difference between PTSD and CPTSD. 

367- #FathersDay

A lot of people celebrate today their father, and that is fine if they/ you feel like celebrating your wonderful father, his actions and raising you, in his support and so on. 

I personally don't celebrate this yet another largely commercialized day, not only because of this aspect or that each country has its own origin and sometimes assigned date, but also because I have no father to celebrate.

366- #purplesummer- Child abuse awareness

*** multiple trigger warnings***

I also warn you that this is a very long entry, so you may want to grab a cuppa and take your time reading it, you're in for 2076 words from now: 

Today is Child Abuse Awareness Day, for which I display the official #purplesummer image I found online. 

Instead of drowning you in statistical numbers that I'll keep to a minimum for several reasons (availability, most probable tip of an iceberg, variation in definitions), I want to let you know that this entry comes with the usual trigger warnings, and that I'll discuss both broad, general aspects of child abuse, as well as my own experiences as an abused child. 

365- CBT4Emeto- 3

This morning was my 3rd overall CBT session for emeto, a tad over a month since the previous.  I was quite anxious and very stressed last night and this morning, as I felt I'd lacked my assigned task and that this particular therapy is very tough for me, because my complex emetophobia is my worse mental health struggle of them all. 

Due to the highly triggering aspect of this phobia, I now must cautious you that if you click to read more, trigger warning applies from this point onward. 

364- Living in a religious cult 4 : health Edition

Trigger warning (trauma and religious cult). Also, *potential* inflammatory topic. 

In my youth, I never had a clear image of health - not mental and not physical. Religious dogmas can put one's health at risk, due to many skewed visions of science in general and health in particular.

Indeed, in a religious cult, belief and blind faith must win over any actual ailment, and the sacrosanct soul is more important than the body and person that hosts it. I recall all those sermons where my father would preach to me as well as his own wife (not my mother, you'll know this if you read me before), and his disciples. 

363- Stepping out of Mental health (#talkmh)

For sufferers of mental illness, all topics of mental health and support are at the core of our days. 

Indeed, we seek answers on how's and why's. We're on a quest for tools to better cope with our conditions. We may read psychology and self-help books or blogs ; we may view vlogs by others who also suffer, who may have advice to share through their experiences, or by therapists. 

Most often, we may be in therapy, or in waiting lists, to be helped by professionals - either for the above goals, and/ or for medication. 

362- Growing up in religion cult part 3 : stunted emotional growth

Trigger warning : trauma material. Religious cult. Abuse. Suicidal ideation. 

For PTSD awareness month,  I pursue my series Growing up in a religious cult. Today's topic refers to stunted emotional growth, through the aspect of denied romances during my teens, for which I quote post 334 : " I was never to initiate any kind of romantic or sexual activity.... Straying from this spiritual path of unity under his guide and rule of thumb came with a death sentence, of which he reminded me often. With this Damocles sword above my head, I was unable to pursue romantic feelings I had towards any of the girls, and later of the young women that I'd met and was interested in." His, refers, if you haven't read the full entry or others on this blog, are my father's rules, as he was the cult founder & leader.