Long term effects of Childhood sexual abuse

The long term affects of child sexual abuse can be so pervasive that it can be difficult to establish exactly how the abuse affected you. It can permeate everything, your relationships, your sexuality, your sense of self, your parenting, your work, life, perspective, sanity. 

You may be experiencing some or all of the following;

• Feeling bad, dirty, or ashamed
• Feeling powerless, like a victim
• Feeling different from other people
• Feeling self destructive or suicidal or that you just want to die
• Feelings of self hate
• Feeling like there is something really wrong with you deep down and that if people really knew you they wouldn't like / love you and they would leave you
• Feeling unable to rely upon your intuition
• Feeling unable to protect yourself in dangerous situations
• Feeling unsure of what you want or like, your goals, interests and talents
• Feeling a lack of motivation
• Feeling immobilised
  
• Feeling frightened to succeed
• Unable to finish tasks
• Feeling you have to be perfect
• Feeling inadequate
• Persistently feeling angry, hurt or frightened
• Nightmares
• Phobias
• Self harming
• Loss of memory
• Self induced vomiting
• Compulsive behaviour
• Binging on food/alcohol/drugs
• Anorexia Nervosa
• No interest in sex
• Fear of sex
• Feeling unable to say 'no' to sex
• Avoiding specific sexual activities
• Aggressive sexual behaviour
• Confusion about sexual orientation
• Obsessed with sex
• Finding it difficult to get close to people
• Finding it difficult to trust other
• Relationship difficulties - friend/marriage/family
• Fear of being alone
• Fear of being in company
• Clinging and being extremely dependent on others
• Over-protective of children
• Needing to be in control
• Bullying others
• Abusing others
• Criminal behaviour
• P.T.S.D (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)