You're more than welcome ... and I'm proud of you for having the strength to trust your friend. I'm sure it was difficult ... but the first step always is, Sarah. The good thing about taking that one is the next and the next are easier!

OF COURSE, she'd rather have a crazy <u>live</u> friend than a crazy dead one! I had to drum that into my daughter's brain, too ... and I finally got thru after nearly a year. When she shared the last of her deep, dark "secrets" and I didn't use it as an excuse to run, well, that clinched it. Now she's sure of me ... just as you will become more and more sure of your friend. Feels good to have gotten that off your chest, doesn't it? (((((Sarah)))))

I'm not sure there are "degrees" of abuse. Wouldn't that be similar to being a little bit pregnant? :-) I wasn't raped, there wasn't any penetration, and I had the best Mom in the whole world to tell when it happened. She believed me, then she went about comforting me, and assuring me it wouldn't happen again. I was still sexually abused even tho I didn't have flashbacks of it until 20-some years later.

We're all different ... some of us are lucky that the hurt and pain of abuse wasn't that hard to handle, some of us are traumatized by it. That doesn't mean one of us is better than the other! "There, but for the grace of God, go I." If the abuse affects you, then it does ... and when it does, people find different avenues to handle it. You get depressed and SI. I tend to gloss over the details now that it's out of my brain and doesn't affect my love life. That doesn't mean one of us is better than the other!

I'm very proud of you, Sarah! You were brave and strong to tell your friend about your problems. You've taken a giant first step in your road to recovery ... you trusted. WTG! Keep up the good work ... and let me know if I can help you, even though I'm still learning to be a

Good Mama