My childhood. Yes I know I can't use that as a crutch but it's what suffocated me for most of my life. I come from a family of sexual, physical violence, and emotional abuse. I have used many things to stuff my emotions down, to cope, to keep people out. I used food, sex, self cutting, alcohol and drugs to manage. The person I was meant to be was hidden under tremendous pain and coping skills. I still to this day don't even know who I am, what I like etc. casue I was always TOLD what to like. Don't think for myself. And if I did I either got beat or yelled at. The only intimacy and connection I got was when my father was sexually abusing me. It has taken YEARS of therapy to get through this and to forgive him. Anger still comes out, tremendously, but I'm coming to a new way of understanding it. It's no wonder I'm so afraid of being small and skinny. I have that fear again of being hurt
It's getting better, I'm realizing more of me and FEELING for the first time in my life. I was always numb before. I have been in counselling for most of my life and I'm finally coming to a place of just being me. What saved me? My spirituality. After so much inner work, I finally decided to be me. I finally came out (I'm gay), left an abusive marriage, and now totally transforming myself to show who I am on the inside in my physical body.
Forgiveness too. I have to realize it wasn't ALL bad. My parents too come from abusive homes, and they did the best they could. I just refuse to repeat the pattern. And keep my distance from them!