Hardly anyone would claim to be a stranger to holiday stress. From money woes to holiday travel, traditions, and family tension, at some point everyone has struggled to make it to January. But the holidays can be a particularly tough time of year for anyone with a family history of abuse, whether it’s emotional or physical.
The idea that one shouldn’t be alone during the holiday season is drilled into our heads and we want familiar people near, even if those people can be toxic to us. Memories of trauma may become more salient. Some holiday encounters could open old wounds. You’re not just trying to make it to January — you’re trying to avoid being retraumatized.
Stay on the healing path.
You’ve already done the hardest part; you survived the trauma. You are much stronger than you think you are. You are solely responsible for your survival, your endurance, your courage. Give yourself the credit and respect you deserve. You’ve done the impossible and you can do the holidays, too.
[To read the rest of this article by Sarah Newman, click here.]
[Photo: Shuttercock]
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