Trauma Reactions

[Jeana (DP)]

Fifty degrees and falling here. I had to have my boys in winter coats so we could go to my nephews football game. Even then, their little noses and ears were cold and red. And the number one concession at the game was...
HOT CHOCOLATE! I am jealous of that heat y'all!

My son's football team is scheduled to be in a parade this evening. Its supposed to be 96. Poor kids.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Does it snow in Dallas?

We usually have more problems from ice. It won't be cold enough to snow, so we get this ucky wintery mix and then it freezes up. Roads are three inches of ice, tree branches and power lines break. Real mess.

 

[HeartofTexas]

From what you are saying, repressed memory is often retrieved without hypnosis?

I'm only familiar with what happened to me. I never went through any kind of hypnosis. For me it was a long and arduous process of breaking down defensive walls built around my feelings. I think each child reacts to trauma differently... I was hypervigilant so retained many of the memories but had no feelings associated with them. As a child, I equated feeling my feelings with death, so had to split off from them. Once the feelings returned, various memories returned with them. However, no memories of my brother's abuse were ever revisited. They're still down there, hoping never to emerge. I feel certain I will never recover many of my memories and have been advised by many doctors to not try to coax them out. If I'm ever strong enough to handle them, they will come out on their own. In that sense, I will never fully be free of my past... but it's the price you pay in order to survive. To give you just one small example of the kind of memory I did retain, I was held down at age 4 on the railroad tracks by my father, with the train fast approaching, and told he was going to let the train run over me, because I was so bad. What I didn't retain were the feelings of horror that accompanied that trauma. Some 40+ years later, I was able to finally integrate the feelings with the incident, but it was one of the most difficult therapy sessions I ever experienced. Most of my doctors have said if that's what I do remember, it's best to leave what's not remembered alone. Some repressed memories will always stay repressed.

 

[cami]

Is everyone braced for the heat bills this winter? Arrrgggghhh! I can't bear to even think about them. I hope any of you that live in places where the winters are really cold aren't hit too hard by the increases. And Mamacita, the hot chocolate sounds pretty good right now... I'm so tired of the heat. It's been relentless for month after month.

Look where my state is! I'm taking a crash course in igloo making.

 

[cami]

I am here to tell you that there IS such a thing as repressed memory. There is also such a thing as body memories. I was sexually abused for many, many years and while I always remembered I was abused, I had forgotten many instances. Interestingly, I had also forgotten most of each instance... i.e., I would remember a few moments in the middle of the event... but never the beginning and NEVER the end. Also, I witnessed many traumatic events happening to my brother but have absolutely no memory of any of them. OTOH, many of the same things that happened to my brother, happened to me within minutes, and I remember most of that abuse as it happened to me. My brother was sent to an orphanage when I was 6 and to this day I have never recalled that event... but if anyone mentions orphanage to me, I start crying and shaking.

I am ever so sorry to hear what happened to you and your siblings Heart.
:blowkiss:

I found this article on TA very interesting and it is talking about the FMS

Darlie's TA is the "I won't remember defense" nothing more.

 

[beesy]

I am ever so sorry to hear what happened to you and your siblings Heart.
:blowkiss:

I found this article on TA very interesting and it is talking about the FMS

Darlie's TA is the "I won't remember defense" nothing more.

cami, thanks for posting this. It's great

 

[beesy]

I'm only familiar with what happened to me. I never went through any kind of hypnosis. For me it was a long and arduous process of breaking down defensive walls built around my feelings. I think each child reacts to trauma differently... I was hypervigilant so retained many of the memories but had no feelings associated with them. As a child, I equated feeling my feelings with death, so had to split off from them. Once the feelings returned, various memories returned with them. However, no memories of my brother's abuse were ever revisited. They're still down there, hoping never to emerge. I feel certain I will never recover many of my memories and have been advised by many doctors to not try to coax them out. If I'm ever strong enough to handle them, they will come out on their own. In that sense, I will never fully be free of my past... but it's the price you pay in order to survive. To give you just one small example of the kind of memory I did retain, I was held down at age 4 on the railroad tracks by my father, with the train fast approaching, and told he was going to let the train run over me, because I was so bad. What I didn't retain were the feelings of horror that accompanied that trauma. Some 40+ years later, I was able to finally integrate the feelings with the incident, but it was one of the most difficult therapy sessions I ever experienced. Most of my doctors have said if that's what I do remember, it's best to leave what's not remembered alone. Some repressed memories will always stay repressed.

Heart, I don't even know what to say. I know you're not looking for a pity party, but please know how horrified and saddened I am by what happened to you. I agree, why force yourself to remember any more horrid things? I can't imagine it would help anybody feel better about things. Some shrinks believe one can heal by remembering things. I like your doctors' idea much better.

 

[HeartofTexas]

Thanks, Beesy. To be real honest, I now regret posting what I did. However, after referring several times to traumatic memories and/or abuse, I wanted to give you an example of the kind of incident I was referring to. I just didn't want anyone to think it was some minor little thing that I was overdramatizing. But somehow, reading my post again made me squirm... instead of seeming like an explanation of what kind of abuse I had trouble dealing with as a child, it seemed totally out of place. I totally apologize if I overstepped the bounds in any way.

 

[beesy]

Thanks, Beesy. To be real honest, I now regret posting what I did. However, after referring several times to traumatic memories and/or abuse, I wanted to give you an example of the kind of incident I was referring to. I just didn't want anyone to think it was some minor little thing that I was overdramatizing. But somehow, reading my post again made me squirm... instead of seeming like an explanation of what kind of abuse I had trouble dealing with as a child, it seemed totally out of place. I totally apologize if I overstepped the bounds in any way.

NO! You did not overstep anything. I'm sure it is hard for you to re-read your posts, but not because you told us, because it's awful. This in no way compares to you, but my sister recently told me a whole bunch of mean things she did to me when were little. Not abuse, just mean. I don't remember a single one of these things. Yet, now I know because she told me! She did that to purge herself. It wasn't for me.

 

[Mama-cita]

What does a geo-thermal heat pump run on? Sounds interesting.

PA is really, reeeeaaaaaally cold! brrrr......

Sorry ladies, I know this is O/T but I wanted to answer Goody's question. A geothermal heat pump placed in the earth, well below the frost line, where the temperature is a constant 55 degrees. The earth's constant temperature is then pumped into the duct work of your home creating a constant temp. of 55 degrees. So you begin the process of heating and cooling your home at that temp, as opposed to the outdoor (air) temp which may be much higher or much lower than that. It is very expensive to install, but it eliminates the need for a furnace or an air conditioner. The pumps on the unit use electricity to heat the air, but it is like a system of boilers, it does not use much electricity. A 3000 square foot home can be heated and cooled for about $600 per year. (Like $50 per month). Plus, in my state, at least, the energy bill gives a tax credit to people who have this type of system since it uses NO fossil fuels to run. It has been around for a long time. IT's low maintenance. I can PM anyone some websites with more info if you are interested in learning more. Natural gas prices are expected to increase by 48% this year, so we're trying to get this installed in time for winter...

 

[HeartofTexas]

Mamacita, that sounds very interesting. Thanks so much for explaining it to all of us. You said it's been around for a long time but I had never heard about them. I've read some really wild figures on how much heating bills will increase this winter... from 50% all the way up to 70%. I'll be fine because I happen to own land in another state that natural gas is pumped on, so every time the price goes up, my checks go up! For most of the years I've gotten royalty checks, I was paid at a dollar or less per million BTU's (or however they measure it). Just a few short months ago (July) they were only paying $6.50 per million BTU's. They're now paying over $14.00 per million BTU's. That will give you an idea of how out of control the prices are getting. I worry about the old people who can't afford these horrendous increases... and families on fixed incomes or low incomes. I'm thinking about finding an older person/couple in my city to help with utility bills this winter.

 

[Goody]

I can PM anyone some websites with more info if you are interested in learning more. Natural gas prices are expected to increase by 48% this year, so we're trying to get this installed in time for winter...

Thanks, Mama. That was very interesting.