You Are Not Alone, Vivian's Story (Blog-a-thon Post 15)

Dear Survivor,

Vivian wants you to know you are not alone. Here's what she has to say:

After months of therapy, I still lacked any memories more concrete than a couple of still images, like snapshots, plus a collection of symptoms, nightmares and emotions. Not having any more definite "proof," I doubted myself, wondered if anyone else had such odd memories, and felt alone.

I can still recall the enormous relief that washed over me when I read the first response to some questions I had posted in the support group, which indicated that I was not alone, that someone else had nothing more than still images. Similar responses followed. It freed me to put less energy into my doubt and more into recovering from what probably had, in fact, happened to me.

Books can help too but are not always enough. None of the books I'd read had let me understand that my situation was not unique. Rather, they'd given me the impression that such fragmentary memories will be followed by others until the event is filled in. This had not happened at the time, and still hasn't happened today. Books can't replace the opportunity to talk with other people who have been there. That is what this group gave me, and it was of great value to me.

Stay tuned for more stories of survivors finding hope and help and healing online...

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