Jingle Mingle! Dashing through the snow! Reindeer prancing! It’s that wonderful (and exhausting) time of year again.
For Trauma Survivors, the emotional toll of navigating the holiday cheer can be just enough to put us over the edge. While opening gifts around the Christmas tree, you might see some holiday cheer, but it’s probably eggnog induced! Although you may see us smiling outwardly, we’re really raining on the inside.
The raindrop-laden tears contain a mix of shame, blame, and self-loathing as we struggle to understand why our Christmas pasts weren’t the happiest memories or experiences. Often, we trauma survivors are juggling mental images from our abuse, battling the unseen war of trigger management, and simply surviving the holiday vibe while others seem to do so with such ease.
You may have a friend or family member who seems a little “checked out” during holiday gatherings. One of the best things you can do is give him/her some space; sometimes, all we need is to take a walk, disappear for a bit, or sit in our car. Please, just let us be. It’s in being with ourselves in some quiet that we can soon function better.
Re-entry to the holiday cheer may or may not happen, and if it doesn’t, please understand that re-entry isn’t easy for us. Sometimes we need to “plug out” in order to “plug in” just to endure the holiday meal, eggnog, and unwrapping of gifts that brings such a joyful zeal to the tots!
Here’s to smiling outwardly, even on Christmas!
If you’re in need of some trauma recovery insight, connect with us at www.whoopasshealing.com and for your free “Tame your Triggers” blueprint, download it at www.abusehealed.com
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