Hello Everyone... Living my life as not allowed to say no, or question
anything at all, in other words...just do what you’re told to do...it
even entered into the say what I tell you to say.....this happened both
when I was younger and then in a marr...
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Hello Everyone... Living my life as not allowed to say no, or question
anything at all, in other words...just do what you’re told to do...it
even entered into the say what I tell you to say.....this happened both
when I was younger and then in a marriage for 38 years with a narcissist
man...The repercussions that followed me...when not doing/saying what I
was told....has left me very afraid of speaking up and of facing any
type confrontation....that I immediately freeze, listen to their hurtful
words, go straight into flight mode...then run a way to somewhere quiet
and cry....later on, could be minutes or hours later, I start degrading
myself very harshly for being such a doormat a coward for not speaking
up for myself, for not protecting my rights or defending myself....even
when I know 100% that I didn’t deserve the outburst from the other
person...... Somewhere, down along the track, I start thinking.... maybe
she/he was right, maybe I did do or say something wrong....and guilt
sets in... me feeling bad about myself causing them to have an
outburst...maybe it was me after all...my brain involuntary,
continuously going over and over the words, actions, facial expressions
of what was said...I’ve now convinced myself I caused it all....and PTSD
starts taking me back.... The next time I need to see that person
again....I feel shame, guilt, and avoid talking or being in the same
room as they are... It’s a vicious cycle to be stuck in....I’ve been
stuck in it so long now....My support worker, said that I need to
respect myself enough to stand up for myself.... I do respect
myself...maybe in another way though...It’s just that, yelling,
shouting, swearing and the look on people faces...when angry trigger me
into freeze, flight mode..... Has anybody been able to set aside their
fear of confrontation and managed to stand up for themselves?....did it
make you feel good inside yourself that you did it...or did you later
regret it? I would love to hear from others about how being assertive or
lack of it...effects you....maybe we can help each other to understand
more about how to be even a little bit assertive with respect of
course...for both ourselves and the other person/s involved... My
kindest thoughts with my care... Grandy...