Enhancing Self-Esteem Is Not Always A Good Way of Healing Child Sexual Abuse Victims

[Tautoko Mai]

A lot of times, child sexual abuse victims use coping strategies to fight off the trauma and negative effects. While those effects vary and may be distinct to each victim, what's most obvious is the fact that many of them still did not succeed in the process of healing. Sadly, a great number of those victims live a life full of pain, misery, and suffering from the sexual abuse they experienced many years back. sexual abuse hamilton

One of the coping strategies used by therapists and counselors is the enhancement and development of self-esteem and confidence on the part of the victims. As you can see, being a victim of child sexual abuse means losing almost your entire self, including the personality, innocence, positive outlook in life, hopes and dreams, and others. But by restoring the confidence and self-esteem you once have prior to the experience, there's a great chance you'll heal faster. But, is it really true?

Positive statements about oneself may be a good way of boosting self-esteem and confidence. But it is really not an effective way of completely healing the wounds of child sexual abuse. Most of the time victims who strive hard in talking their way out just to feel better usually manifest long term effects of the abuse. What happens is they are trying to turn their backs on reality. By feeling and talking positive, they are in a state of denial. They begin to refuse and reject what has actually happened to them. sexual assault hamilton

While being confident may temporarily give them the ability to forget the experience, it will never be erased. By the time they feel lonely, miserable, and alone; all those bad memories start to sink in again. Put in mind though that we aren't telling victims to maintain a very low self-esteem and confidence in order to heal. The message we are trying to deliver is that they should be able to understand that improving their confidence is not the sole means of healing the wounds of the abuse and eventually overcoming the trauma. What's needed is acceptance. abused sexual hamilton

By accepting what has truly happened, victims may begin understanding how important it is for them to recall that day and start building confidence by telling themselves that it will never again consume their lives and their future. They need help and they can get it from people they trust or from those trained to help them. Surviving a child sexual abuse experience is not about making and building coping strategies to temporarily get rid of the pain and trauma. It is more on completely healing the wounds by facing the experience all over again and getting rid of it.

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