Maybe my least favorite genre of too-cool tweet is “you know gaslighting/manipulation/coercive control isn’t REAL, maybe you’re just weak minded.” Yes, yes. You’re far too smart to be taken in or whatever. Now shut up.

Many complex trauma survivors get triggered by disapproval, not because we're "thin skinned"-- but because approval, disapproval, acceptance, & rejection were wielded by abusers to control us. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle Some see disapproval not as present judgment, but as a flashback to past manipulations. When the truth was warped, weaponized against them, & assigned as their dominant character flaw. Disapproval doesn’t trigger their defenses. It teleports them to a time they were defenseless.

Yeah, trauma recovery's a lot of hard work & unpredictability & improvisation & some days the name of the game is keeping our head above water. But make no mistake: it's also about finding, CREATING, calm & centeredness like we've never known-- in the eye of the f*ckin' storm.

So many of us are so used to getting so blamed & shamed for NOT feeling happy or confident or in control of our emotions-- as if that's not one of the most human experiences possible. Easy does it. No human handles feelings "perfectly." We can get better at it-- .01% at a time.

Something trauma survives know very well is that sense of impending doom. That feeling something really bad's on the horizon. It feels like the end is comin'-- everybody's up to somethin'. That's conditioned hypervigilance, not a "bad attitude." Give yourself some grace.

Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle Well until you find out they really were up to something, an attack on you. Remember it is not paranoia if they really are after you. Sensing danger is a gift - you keep it in check by looking to empirical evidence in your life to either validate or invalidate the feeling.

The "tough love" crowd doesn't seem to realize exposure therapy for PTSD doesn't mean "just throw triggers in their face until they stop reacting." Dissociation will f*ck that project up handily. Actual exposure therapy is facing our triggers WITH tools, skills, & support.

A lot of hurt people who hurt people surround themselves with enablers who repeat that phrase, while they repeat the same harmful behavior with no intentions of remorse, accountability, or change.

There will absolutely be people out there who mock, trivialize, or pathologize your recovery-- because it inconveniences, confuses, or threatens them. Weird they have a problem w/ your recovery, but your trauma doesn't seem to register as a bad thing to them, no?

Blog: "Many abuse survivors, specifically, were explicitly told that what was happening to them was their fault— and if they tried to escape “responsibility” for their situation, they would be punished and ostracized." useyourdamnskills.com/2023/11/28/wha…

While we will never completely stop workplace bullying, it is important to shed light on this type of toxic behaviors as to create more awareness about the 'real harm' it really does. Articles are shared here to give it more credibility. Hence, believe the victims.

Psychological harassment is a form of vexatious behaviour that involves repeated hostile and unwanted words, behaviour, or actions that are painful, hurtful, annoying, humiliating or insulting. inrs.ca/en/psychologic….

manipulation is when they always play the victim by blaming you for reacting to their toxic behavior, but never discuss their disrespect that triggered you.

Part of the narcissistic abuser's grooming process is to subtly and repeatedly test your boundaries. Eyes open 👀

Everything does not happen for a reason. Everything happens because people make decisions every day. Many of those decisions include hurting other people. Suggesting things happens for a reason minimizes the pain of someone’s life being altered & the work they have to do to heal.

Funny thing about being called “crazy” is that it’s usually when you’re having a rational/proportionate response to their ridiculous, hurtful, and unbelievable disrespect/mistreatment LOL. It’s almost like you’re not actually crazy and they’re just a gaslighting piece of shit.

Blog: "Resist the urge to stigmatize your anger. Resist the urge to deny it or disown it. Own your anger. It’s really important— and, in trauma recovery, really useful." useyourdamnskills.com/2023/12/07/the…

Dissociative Identity Disorder is real. Dissociative amnesia ("repressed"/recovered memory) happens. And trauma responses aren't "choices."

It's common for trauma survivors who were gaslit, verbally abused, or conversationally bullied growing up to prefer to communicate via texts or emails instead of talking-- because we can look back over what we & the other person ACTUALLY said, as many times as we need to.