have I been abused?
Some survivors are well aware of the trauma they experienced in childhood. They are troubled by memories of abuse, and they continue to live with the pain, confusion and feelings of loneliness they experienced as a child. They may be plagued by nightmares and flashbacks.
Other survivors may not remember that they have been abused, or they may only remember some experiences of abuse. They may not percieve or acknowledge that what they experienced was abuse or neglect. It is very common for survivors to deny that an experience was abusive, or to minimise the seriousness of the abuse with 'it only happened once' or 'it wasn't so bad'.
Many survivors live with symptoms of abuse, such as panic attacks, strange body sensations, inexplicable fears, or aches and pains, that they are unable to explain. Their body remembers what happens to them, and they relive the emotions and feelings associated with abuse over and over again - but many survivors don't connect these symptoms to their childhood abuse.
Should you still be in doubt as to whether what you experienced in your childhood was abusive or neglectful please refer to the sections about child abuse in this website for further information and/or discuss your personal situation with a health care professional.
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