01/23/2024
Personalization and blame, a cognitive thinking issue that keeps us feeling like we’re in control when we are facing chaos or trying to survive in a toxic or abusive environment. If we’re the problem - we can fix it right? The problem with that way of thinking is it’s not rational when we’re taking responsibilities for others’ actions and it leads to shame, anxieties, depression. The 🧠 brain, I believe, is trying to protect us here but it’s not helpful in the long run - so we need to teach it the truth and rewire those thoughts. Interpersonal trauma is trauma and it’s more common then we think.
From the article:
“It makes sense for our minds to take this shame signal and then displace the blame onto ourselves: We have more agency if we're the problem. Then, it's within our control to fix it. Blaming ourselves feels more empowering than acknowledging that the people we depend on for survival and belonging are unsafe.”
When we identify this pattern, and are able to safely process it, we can learn to rewire the brain to see the truth and THAT is even more powerful, empowering and can lead to healing, and setting boundaries to protect ourselves in these situations in the future.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/its-not-you-its-the-world/202401/why-interpersonal-trauma-is-more-about-shame-than-fear?fbclid=IwAR12JPgx1Iqo7LHxcZRJJwqn2upu99wobl3iLPc3sAhaEuGPsAhdfi2qr38_aem_AQm1aLwA2U3gPfEqg9nvxWR0gJDKe-AIU-tf2_Pq2PzqQnS-XI_tgnXi2bpQHsgU40g
Here’s how trauma is a social problem that requires a social cure.