THERAPY SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE What is Abuse-Related Trauma?
• Trauma can develop from many kinds of overwhelming experiences, such as childhood sexual abuse • Sexual abuse, especially in childhood, can affect the way a person thinks, feels, behaves and relates to others • People who have experienced sexual abuse learn to cope in unique ways Sometimes problems can arise when these ways of coping persist • These problems are a result of the abuse rather than of something that is wrong with the person • Many people do not realize that past sexual abuse can affect their lives as adults. Some of the long term effects may include: · Feeling depressed · Having feelings of shame or worthlessness · Experiencing flashbacks, nightmares or intrusive memories · Difficulty controlling feelings of anger and/or fear · Having problems trusting or being close to others · Having difficulty feeling calm or relaxed · Feeling emotionally numb or shut down · Having long term problems with sleeping · Using alcohol or other drugs to avoid feeling · Harming oneself · De
