I am finding the book triggering as I read farther. It gives very graphic descriptions of horrendous physical abuse examples. These images, visualized, are repeating on me, kind of upsetting, encroaching into upsetting dreams. My heart goes out to anyone who has endured this kind of abuse. The statistics of how often this happens has shocked me, very upsetting.

I didn’t have physical abuse (just one time really), yet I am as affected as I am, having most of the symptoms described, all due to emotional abuse that has been constant in my life from a small amount of difficult people closest to me.

I feels kind of shameful to me that I am saying that I have these issues (I truly do) when the book only gives very severe examples. I feel like I am overreacting. The book kind of invalidates me because how can I compare my “only” emotional abuse with severe physical abuse.