[InTherapy]

I'm feeling rather stuck in my therapy because I am afraid to disclose certain things. I don't know how "far back" reporting mandates go.

When I was a child, say ages 3-13, I did some really bad things. Hurting other people, hurting animals, things like that.

I realized that it made me a "bad person" and I stopped doing those things. Instead, I started hurting myself.

Just to put your minds all at ease, I haven't done any of those things in many many years. But the things I did do were pretty horrific and I'm really scared to share about them.

[healed84]

I don't know for sure, but I don't anything doesn't HAVE to be reported unless the things are happening right now.

[Willowleaf]

I work with children who have done similar things and even for them there is no reporting just trying to make them accept that it was things that happened to them that made them like it and that it wasn't their fault. It must be so difficult for you to have kept quiet for years. I work with these kids day in and day out and they are not bad whatever they think and whatever they've been told. I hope you manage to get some support and can trust someone enough to share with them. It would be a very courageous thing to do and help you to heal

If you are a child and you disclose abuse, even abuse that happened a long time ago, by a care giver whom is currently involved, it is mandated (in my state) to report. If you are an adult whom talked about past abuse that happened to you as a child, nothing happens. If you are an adult and you disclose you abused a child, who is still a child, it has to be reported. If there is any current plan to hurt yourself or others, it has to be reported. If the therapist is court ordered to testify about details, they will have to break confidentiality.

[Miswimmy1]

As long as its not telling that u are going to kill yourself or someone else, or that you have been sexually abbuseing or have abused a minor.

[KazzaX]

I did something similar when I was young but I just don't tell anyone. If its possible you can get in trouble for talking about it.... don't talk about it. That's my motto anyways haha.

Originally Posted by InTherapy

I'm feeling rather stuck in my therapy because I am afraid to disclose certain things. I don't know how "far back" reporting mandates go.

When I was a child, say ages 3-13, I did some really bad things. Hurting other people, hurting animals, things like that.

I realized that it made me a "bad person" and I stopped doing those things. Instead, I started hurting myself.

Just to put your minds all at ease, I haven't done any of those things in many many years. But the things I did do were pretty horrific and I'm really scared to share about them.

my sisters t had a great take on this: we did what we could to survive at the time. my sister and i fought badly, very violent, she said we had no place else to deal with our anger. it was never okay to have anger.

so we did what we did to survive. please share with t, but only if you feel comfortable. you will not get in trouble. t will understand. i do

I have similar experiences of guilt towards my horrific childhood behavior. I wish I knew what to say to help you or give some sort of advice, but I haven't been able to disclose these issues either. I convince myself that it's 'too far back to matter' but sometimes the guilt returns......

[Perna]

Presumably we go to therapy for our messed up childhoods; as horrific as what you might have done as a child, I'm sure your therapist will know those things are in the past and what you are there to get help for; making sense of the why you acted/act in certain ways. Hurting yourself is not any less horrific than hurting another; you count too!

[Victoria'smom]

I've told my T several things that I've done even older then that. T has told me "T room safe place". T asked me several questions about each time and how that effects me now along with how I cope.

[Wren_]

Could you share what you've written here with your T without specifics and get an idea both of what is and isn't required by your T and also their help in letting you share this?

[WikidPissah]

The statute of limitations varies from state to state. Even if it is something prosecutable, wouldn't it be better to have it in the open and dealt with? Sometimes we consider something we did as a child to be horrific, but T (and others) won't find it so horrific. I think you are going to be better in the long run if you tell t, they will help you work it out.

[anilam]

Ask your T- that's what I've done. My T told me that he has to report if I want/plant to seriously hurt others (i.e. to prevent the crime) if it stg in my past where revealing it wouldn't help it's between him and me (unless he's court ordered). I've been reassured that it's a pretty common thing for childern with SA history to do- doesn't help much but at least it's stg.