I realize that I am afraid of bring into my conscious mind the memories of abuse I suffered when I was little. Part of me knows that the memories can't kill me but I am afraid of the fear. The feeling of the emotion fear, that came from the abuse. I don't know how to trust that the feeling of fear won't kill me. I feel like I will be consumed by it. But I also feel that I need to remember the abuse so I can place it in the past where it happened. The minute I start to think of remembering abuse I feel a shock of fear in the middle of my chest and every thing shuts down. I don't know how to protect myself from my emotion of fear. Intellectually I understand that the actual feeling of fear may not be as bad as what I think it will be. But my body shuts down and the discussion is over. Ive known from a young age that fear is what I need to overcome in order to free my mind. I just don't know where to start.