Recovering from attack
Now I feel anxiety whenever I walk through any public areas and I think that what seemed like prudent common sense for personal safety has morphed into something more nefarious. An attack over a year ago in which I was not badly injured has since left me a virtual prisoner in my own home.
I think I have fed my fears over these last months of isolation and now when I try to venture beyond my safety zones things seem very frightening. The price I am paying for personal safety is obviously too high. How can I regain my confidence? Intellectually I know that with a little common sense I am at low risk to experience any kind of assault, but my bodily reactions at the site of any ‘threat’ argue differently.
Loren Gelberg-Goff Says...
I am so sorry to hear that you were attacked... It is a frightening experience and while you are grateful that you were not seriously injured, you are still holding the fear of that event. There are a number of things that you can do to reduce the grip this event holds in your life. Have you done any therapy at all in relation to the attack from last year? Hypnotherapy, EMDR, EFT and neurofeedback are all really good interventions to help your body release your trauma on a cellular level. It's great that you have an intellectual awareness of your safety and the reality of your life, so what you need now is help in releasing the emotional hold that it still has.
I don't know where you live and what services are local for you, but these interventions are widely available, so hopefully you can access the necessary services quickly and easily. I wish you all the best, and hope for a full recovery.
Page last updated Sep 14, 2011
