YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

8/12/2016
MADDY F – LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF
Episode: 290
You hear the phrase "love yourself" a lot. But how do we get there? Maddy's story is a great example. She was molested by a relative (and church leader) but didn't feel safe enough to speak up about it for years. Then she got help and everything changed.

To sign the petition Maddy was talking about that looks to abolish the statute of limitations on childhood sex abuse cases go to
https://www.change.org/p/abolish-the-st ... california

http://mentalpod.com/archives/4113

Maddy you are a rock star - I relate so much to your story about the feelings of not wanting to cause ripples in your family and about not being able to really talk about what had happened or stop from seeing the peretrator because you lived with them - I lived with my abuser too and it sucks - the anger - resentment fear - hurt - betrayal - guilt all of it is constant and scary and gets buried further and further - and this is exactly why children do not come forward -

As much as I wanted my step father in jail and I really did I knew even then that my co- dependent mother would be a wreck and that it would be my fault and the fall out from that might be even worse than dealing with seeing him every day - in hind sight I kind of wish I did - I still havet o see him at family things because he is still with my mum - the feelings of being invalidated are so visceral and real even years after - and it has been a while -

Your story though it awakened a sense of justice in me and will I seek it - I don't think so I am still so intermingled in sorting out my own feelings from it that I just am not in the right spot - but I am proud of you and everyone else who comes forward and says this is not ok and I will fight to get justice - it is really inspiring and I am signing the petition today!