Anger

Most of us left and returned to our abuser several times. When I left, my friends and family gathered in support, but when I returned to the abuser, their support sometimes turned to anger. I would wonder about their strong reaction to my perceived act of love. I was going to work extra hard to … Continue reading Anger →

Captivity

Within the last ten years, the news covered several stories about young girls kidnapped and held in horrific physical captivity who eventually escaped. We heard about Elizabeth Smart, Jaycee Dugard, Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus and their kidnappings and the ensuing ordeals of being imprisoned, chained, starved, raped, beaten, and isolated from the … Continue reading Captivity →

Mind Control

Some of us remember watching in disbelief when the young kidnapped heiress, Patty Hearst, later joined her kidnappers in threatening hostages during a bank robbery. A bank robbery in Switzerland introduced Stockholm’s Syndrome into everyday conversation. We named it mind control or brain washing and assumed we’re immune because we are opinionated. But, that’s not … Continue reading Mind Control →

Busy Brain

Soon after leaving the abuser I acquired a bad case of busy brain - my term for racing or spinning thoughts that I can’t seem to stop. While still in the abusive relationship, my mind was relatively quiet, almost numb. I’m sure sleep deprivation contributed to the numbness. He conned me into completing time-consuming tasks … Continue reading Busy Brain →