Loneliness and Isolation: The Terrible Wound of Childhood PTSD

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For adults who were abused or neglected as children, one almost universal symptom is a grinding sense of loneliness. If you've been blaming yourself for difficulties feeling connected and sustaining relationships, you'll want to watch THIS.
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[soniafaye]

The Daily Practice changed my mind- literally. It cleared a “path in my brain” for me to be calm in the moments that make me dysregulated.

Thank you Anna, for the language you’ve taught me- I know you didn’t invent it, but you introduced me to the word for it: now when I get triggered, I can care for myself. LIFE HAS OPENED UP!
My healing got that Huge Boost.
YOU CAN CHANGE!!!
❤️❤️❤️

[jessem]

29 years old and, no matter how many people in my life genuinely love and care about me, I still always feel isolated from everyone.

[goldenmattew]

This woman is doing a hell of a job in order to bring a grain of joy and reach out to all of us that suffered too much too consistently for too long . You are doing a great job

[RoadRunnergarage]

You feel like you are fighting through your life all by

[NattyByNature-]

I’ve found more comfort, love and support in the YouTube comments section than in real life.

[janethagen]

For most of my childhood/ adult life I would pick friends who were a mess, who “needed” my wisdom and guidance (aka. “Listen to me! “validate me!”) This always leads to me enabling that person and doing way too much for them, then feeling unappreciated. Happy to say I’m getting a good handle on this. At 62 I can easily say” No, I don’t want todo that.” Or, “That’s your responsibility and your decision, not mine.” It’s never too late to start experiencing freedom

[QueenBee-gpjr]

The loneliness is killing me.. It never goes away, ever.

[Jill_SmokeandMirrors]

I'm 46 and have been alone almost my whole life. Have lived alone for 18yrs. Last relationship ended in yr 2000 and people I call 'friends' are people I have coffee with a couple of times a yr if that. Lockdown was pretty much solitary confinement. Now my dog is dying. Noticed I'm ageing really quickly - looking forward to early onset diseases (knackered telomeres etc.) At least then it will all stop. Started therapy last wk. Was amazing just to have a human to talk to for 50mins.

[sahtification]

I'm ashamed of being so difficult and I'm tired to being myself

[cloverkitkat]

I never realized that my loneliness was a side effect of emotional neglect in childhood. I am 42 and can be surrounded by people and feel isolated and alone . All my life. It’s gotten better but I fear it will never go away completely. My faith in God helps with this, I know I’m never alone.

[blacksmithe]

I was totally alone during my whole childhood. Ignored and unwanted. My parents didn’t realize how alone and how suicidal I was. I have always cared about others and I always put others before me.
I counsel others and ignore my own emotional needs.

[ramblingRJ]

I had an abusive narcissist for a mother, and suffered many lonely decades as a result. I did finally get married in my 50s, but I missed the red flags, and she was a narcissist, too. She eventually left me, and even though I cried at the time, it was probably the best thing she ever did for me. Now I am learning to be OK alone.

[lilafeldman]

"not being able to sustain a loving, healthy relationship is a devastating loss " yes, it is. Very well said. It is something to be mourned, like a death.

[karenvonbargen]

My childhood has caused me to trust literally nobody and spend most of my time by myself. Am I lonely? Occasionally, perhaps, but I learned how to invent and inhabit a rich world in my head that alleviates a lot of that. If it gets really bad I’ll go out but then I’m reminded why I like to be at home: I’m more in control of my circumstances at home by myself than anywhere else I could be!

[Brannonk]

At 36, I have just now been able to develop genuine friendships, and have healed enough that I no longer “try” to make people like me. I am comfortable enough to just be myself, and find that I now have friends who appreciate me for who I am. Crazy idea, huh?

[xemlbti]

The scar I carry from my childhood abuse is still affecting me in my 50s. I'm trying to connect but I just feel so alone surrounded by people. My hearts broken and vulnerable. This pain is excruciating.

[peace-yvqd]

Grew up in 40's 50's and early 60's. Suffered every kind of abuse a child can suffer. Physical, sexual and emotional. I'm currently part of a lawsuit against a Catholic diocese for abuse from a priest when I was eleven years old. Regardless what positive things happen to you there are things you carry throughout your whole life. I live alone with few human interactions. However I feel fortunate to have a home, steady income and medical care. Life is still a gift despite its sadness.

[mellaanne]

I have never managed it. I stayed single and alone. I couldn’t stay long term in relationships as I didn’t trust anyone. It’s so hard. I feel cheated

[sarah.j.]

The reason I'm alone as a result of childhood trauma is that I'm done with the bullshit. Be disrespectful or abusive to me, be an alcoholic, be dishonest, unfaithful, reckless, careless, backstabbing etc and you can get the hell away from me, which doesn't leave many people. My solitude is a much better place to be than with any of that.

[ixizn]

It’s been a little over a year since I learned about CPTSD and I’ve come a long way, but the isolation is still so bad. I never talk to anyone in real life except my parents a few times a week. I try to think about how much I’m doing nowadays compared to even a year ago, and that I have my pets to keep me company, but then just seeing the title and summary of this video made me want to cry. I wish it was easier to find friends and new connections as an adult. Loneliness is so heartbreaking, sometimes I still wonder if I will ever experience having loving relationships in my life and a community to belong to.