Lived Experience Forum

[Jamc]

I have a week off work in 2 weeks planing to do a day trip from home to Brisbane & return leave 6am will not get back 9pm 3hr trip each way plus Brissy is where i grew up want to see the house i grew up in plus New Farm where i spent a lot of time i want to do this as have not been Home to Brissy in 15+years even though i live on the Sunsine Coast as i am dealing with Childhood Trauma with my Psycoligist & we are working on my handling life now not going back & reliving it though that does happen just afraid if i do go back that it will all come crashing down after the progress we made

Hope i can at least talk on phone with him before i go as my next appointment with him not till week after i go. I feel that i need to do this trip just to let go!!!

[Former-Member]

Hi @Jamc

It can be a difficult decision whether or not to go back and visit the place where we experienced trauma previously. Everyone has their own way of dealing with such trauma - for some they feel the need to face it again, others they want to leave the past there and forget. It's a very personal decision but a necessary one to make in order to move on and let go. I personally would not as the bad outweighs the good for me; if there are are some good memories there at your childhood home/area, this could help to focus on the good also for balance and healing. Talking this through with your psychologist should help you come to the best decision here. I hope whatever you decide you can draw some healing and peace from it 😊

[Jamc]

Thanks but now that i have posted this i am getting angry & afraid feel like i need to go down & stand in street & just scream 

[Former-Member]

I hope you are okay @Jamc. It might help to ring someone whom you know or a crisis counselling service such as lifeline to talk about it to release some tension? 

[Former-Member]

Hi @Jamc
I was interested to read your post. I wouldn't be able to go back to physical places that remind me of stuff. it would be too much for me completely. But as @Former-Member said we are all so different in finding ways to get better, and so i am always curious to hear about other approaches here. I think it will be a good idea to talk through things with your psychologist about the plans and also how to deal with anything that comes up afterwards and have those extra supports inplace. I often worry myself into the next oblivion over things that i have to do and then find that i cope better than my worst nightmares would have let me believe when i do it... over thinking things can be hard! But not easy to not do, which is why i think having a plan sometimes helps.
Take care, thank you for sharing about this and good luck with what ever you decide.