This piece is about acceptance. It involves the challenge and goal of a trauma survivor to learn to accept themself. Even a child who has been traumatized must work through all of the negative words, deeds, and actions that were done to them. Denial is an extremely strong coping mechanism, and often it can take years for an individual to even begin to accept the trauma that they have experienced.
Yet even a child who is trying to live with the denial of their trauma can run into problems, particularly ones that manifest physically. A child who is living with untreated and unaccepted trauma may have a compromised immune system, frequent headaches, insomnia, bedwetting issues, and many more.
There was a time in my life when I refused to accept what had happened to me. During this time, I also experienced psychosomatic symptoms related to stress. It wasn’t until I came to a full acceptance of the trauma that I had experienced that my health turned completely around. I learned how to take care of myself physically, mentally, and spiritually. I can only imagine what my life would have been like had this acceptance occurred during my childhood or teenage years. If you know a traumatized child struggling with acceptance, its never too late to step in and help.