*trigger warning* how to deal with being abused again?

[purplehaze420]

Hi everyone, so last year I was diagnosed with PTSD after memories of my dad sexually abusing resurfaced. It happened after my parents got divorced and I had sex for the first time. My therapist told me that my brain felt it was safe to release those memories because I was finally separated from my abuser and that my having sex trigged those memories/flashbacks. I had begun EDMR therapy but only was able to get through 2 sessions because I felt like it was a lot to deal with at the time (my school is very rigorous and stressful and I wanted to focus on my studies). At the same time I stopped the EDMR I met and began dating my ex-boyfriend. At first we really clicked and I thought that we were really falling in love. But then after about a month of dating, he started to show his true colors. He forced me to have sex with him multiple times, slapped and punched me, choked me, and belittled me any chance he could get. Experiencing this triggered my PTSD and I began experiencing more flashbacks especially in the instances when my ex would abuse me. After 3 months I finally broke up with him because my friends started noticing that something was off and that I wasn't myself anymore.

I still am finding it hard to cope with the abuse from my father and my ex and often times I get flashbacks to both events. Just as I felt I was getting over the hump I was made a victim once again. I keep trying to get over the abuse from my ex but even just being in my room where the abuse happened is a trigger for me. I have nightmares of him hitting me and choking me.

Has anyone experienced something like this before? If so how did you deal with being abused again?

 

[Zackthemaniac]

Best thing for you to do would be to go back to therapy. When feelings start to overwhelm you. You can try grounding techniques.

Grounding Techniques: 30 Techniques for Anxiety, PTSD, and More

Grounding techniques can help you deal with distressing thoughts, from flashbacks to intrusive thoughts, in the moment. We'll give you 30 techniques to add to your emotional toolbox.

www.healthline.com

 

[purplehaze420]

omg thank you so much for that article I was looking for more/better ways to cope with the PTSD because the techniques I have been trying lately have not been successful