Trauma & Abuse | Different Types of Traumas and Abuses
Types of Trauma: Self-Abuse
Trauma victims who have been left with ongoing anxiety typically will be acting out some form of self-abuse or abuse towards others. Whereas the harmful behavior may be an attempt to reduce the amount of anxiety that the trauma is causing in the nervous system, it generally will cause even more harm in the long run.
If you are a victim of trauma, it is often meaningful to ask "how" you are doing harm, rather than "if"... and to use the heightened awareness to seek positive change by resolving the core anxieties that fuel the behavior, using an effective treatment like EMDR.
Many of these self-abuse symptoms can be true danger signs for (past or present) victimization. Please note that it is not the behavior itself but rather the excessive, compulsive nature of the behavior that increases the risk to one's health and well-being. See your therapist for a safety evaluation.
What Is Self-Abuse? What Is Sexual Abuse?
