Has Being A Jehovah's Witness Scarred You For Life???

by minimus 24 Replies latest jw friends

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  minimus

  Will the pain and memories ever go away???
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  Nosferatu

  The pain and memories will never go away, but I'm trying to fix the problems that the WTS caused. When you've acted a certain way for over 20 years, it can't be fixed overnight. I doubt I'll be able to fix all the damage, but I'm going to keep on fixing it the best I can before I die.
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  jwbot

  I am hoping counsuling will fix that. I still can not get over some of the hateful things that went on. *sigh* But I think I will some day, not really "get over it" but deal with it better.
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  stillajwexelder

  Probably not in my case - sure it has changed me --but in many ways for the better - -serving as an elder has scarred me though
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  minimus

  Personally, I don't think you can ever just "forget" ANYTHING that was a major part of your life.
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  blondie

  When I was dealing with my family's abuse and the alcoholism, I thought I would never get better, but I did. At the Al-Anon and ACOA meetings I met people like myself that had similar experiences and had progressed and were healing. I learned a lot from them. This is the final layer of abuse in my life and it is easier because of the tools I gained along the way in those areas.

  It just takes time. A watched pot never boils so get on with your life taking small steps and you will get better.

  Blondie
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  ChimChim

  Memories never go away. They will be with you forever. evn though some thoughts u wish u never had, but they wont go away! I have no good memories that involve when i was in the JW.

  ~*!ChimChim-Waffle-Tush!*~
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  franklin J

  Yes, in some ways I do feel scarred for life. But just like having a skillful plastic surgeon; the way we heal over the years will determine if others can or do notice the scars. Getting on with our lives and "assimilating" in the real world is not always so easy.

  It is who we are. It is incorporated into the experience that identifies each of us. Making it work for us in a positive way can sometimes be a challenge. But making new friends and having new experiences certainly helps. I do believe our lives are what we ultimately make of them.

  still working at it

  Frank
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  flower

  Re: Has Being A Jehovah's Witness Scarred You For Life???

  Most definately I would say yes I am scarred for life.

  But in my opinion, scars are not necessarily a bad thing. We all have them from when we were kids having fun outside running around and falling down. Some of us have them from surgerys we've had over the years. Most of us have little scars all over our bodies. Ever get drunk with a group of friends and show off your scars and tell each other how you got them? You can remember where every little mark on your arm or leg came from. I still have one on my forehead that I got when I was like 3 years old and I fell and scraped my head. Other people dont usually notice our scars and usually we just forget about them eventually after the initial pain of the injury.

  Emotional scars are similar. We always remember where they came from but they dont necessarily hurt anymore. They fade over the years but they are always there if you know where to look. They make us who we are just like the scars on our knees.

  flower
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  JH

  The skin is stronger where there is a scar.

  What Is A Scar

  When a wound is so deep or wide that its edges cannot touch as it heals, a visible scar may form. Scar tissue is made of collagen, the tough material manufactured by the fibroblasts (the fiber-making cells that rebuild all injuries). In smaller cuts we cannot see the small amount of collagen fiber that forms beneath the surface of skin. In a larger wound, however, so much fiber is needed to fill the gap that it is visible, and we call it a scar. Because scar tissue is made of fibers, not skin cells, it is stronger than ordinary skin. Unlike skin, it does not have hairs, sweat glands or blood vessels. It may look shiny and is often a different color from the skin around it.

  Having a scar from the JW's makes me stronger than if I would have never met them.