Afraid

Questions and discussion about sexual or other abuse or assault, and support and help for survivors.
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This area of the boards is expressly for support and help for those who are currently in or have survived abuse or assault. It is also for those seeking information or discussion about abuse or assault. Please make every effort in this space to be supportive and sensitive. Posts in this area may or do describe abuse or assault explicitly.

This area of the boards is also not an area where those who are themselves abusing anyone or who have abused or assaulted someone may post about doing that or seek support. We are not qualified to provide that kind of help, and that also would make a space like this feel profoundly unsafe for those who are being or who have been abused. If you have both been abused and are abusing, we can only discuss harm done to you: we cannot discuss you yourself doing harm to others. If you are someone engaging in abuse who would like help, you can start by seeking out a mental healthcare provider.
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pianolover
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Afraid

Unread post by pianolover »

I have been feeling afraid lately mainly of the outside world. I'm graduating highschool in about two weeks. I have been coming across a lot of knowledge about myself and at times its overwhelming. I've been feeling insecure in my body mainly in clothes while im in public. Also I'm afraid of people touching me. I really enjoy affection and intimacy but lately the idea of being touched or touching someone is too much. I feel isolated when these thoughts and emotions arise for me. Does anyone have any experience with what I'm describing?
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Siân
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Re: Afraid

Unread post by Siân »

Hi Lostand_found,

It sounds like you're going through a lot right now, I'm sorry. The combination of a big change like leaving highschool and the figuring things out when you're learning a lot about yourself can certainly be overwhelming and disorienting. That combination of fear and isolation is really difficult to deal with alone - have you ever been to a mental health professional? It sounds like a good time for that.
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pianolover
not a newbie
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2019 7:21 pm
Age: 23
Awesomeness Quotient: I am easy to talk to
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Location: California

Re: Afraid

Unread post by pianolover »

thank you for suggesting that I think it is a good time for raching out for help.
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Sam W
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Re: Afraid

Unread post by Sam W »

Hi Lostand_found,

I just wanted to add that major life transitions, like graduating high school, can cause stress or big feelings about your life to bubble up. So while you're experiencing it in a way specific to your life and the things you're dealing with, you're far from the only person to notice fear or apprehension becoming more prevalent for you around graduation time. I'm glad Siân's advice was helpful, and I second the suggestion to reach out to a mental health professional to talk about how to best cope with these feelings.
And you to whom adversity has dealt the final blow/with smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go/turn to and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain/and like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
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