By Shirley Davis, CPTSD Foundation, November 18, 2019
Almost from day one, boys born into modern society are bombarded with the idea that they are different from females. Not that females are not made to feel odd about themselves, but boys have it much harder in many ways.
We give boys guns, cars, fire engines, and other “manly” conventions and expect them to live up to what the symbolism these things infer.
When something horrible, such as sexual abuse occurs, boys receive two messages, each destructive in their own way.
One message is from the abuser that his body does not belong to him and that it is vile.
Message two is just as devastating, if you tell or grieve over what has happened to you, you will be different, broken, unbelievable, and unacceptable as a man.
The result is complex post-traumatic stress disorder that is difficult and traumatic in itself and gets in the way of the lives of men. Add the double whammy messages getting ingrained in their minds as to their manhood and you have a highly toxic situation for men.
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For more information on CPTSD, including resources and materials to help in healing and living with Complex PTSD symptoms, head over to CPTSDfoundation.org.
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