I can so relate to this, mouse.

I often told t that no one goes through THAT MUCH trauma, and then asked him if I was a "trauma junkie". It really bothered me.

I look back, though, and realize that I was for a bit. That said, I had to be for that bit because even though everything might not have been huge trauma standing on its own, everything related to the traumas and connected it there.

I had to recognize the traumas (large and small) as being bad, inappropriate, wrongs done to me so that I could work through them.

I guess what I'm saying is that whether it's dramatization or not, it's necessary to relate it how it *feels*. If it feels traumatic, then that's the effect it had on you and needs to be looked at and worked with as such, I think.

I had to set down those worries and look at even the stuff that my intellectual mind said was "small beans" due to the larger picture. When I did, it was almost too much to get my mind around. I said time and again, it appeared as some horrid science-fiction horror novel where each chapter was the perfect "set-up" for the main events.

I wouldn't worry so much about "dramatization" because in my experience all of it was important to the healing. Once alot was worked through, then applied, it didn't feel dramatized anymore.

Good luck, hon.

KD