defined as, ‘the action or practice of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment or in order to force them to do or say something.’ In reality, torture is so much more. It has the power to significantly alter the path of one’s life. However, it does not always have to be for the worse.
Surviving life as a victim of torture may be one of the most difficult things you have had to do. Staying awake all night, afraid of closing your eyes lest those memories return to haunt you; the fear and trepidation results in painful mental stress, as opposed to the pain felt physically. Nevertheless, it is very much possible that you can survive and get through this mental torture in a positive manner. No matter how bleak life may seem, if you are alive, you have a shot at living life to its fullest!
In addition to being victims of mental and physical torment, survivors of torture have an innate strength, too. The key is to focus on honing this strength in a positive and constructive manner. Stop running, face what life is throwing at you with the best within you, no matter how weak or small. You are alive, and you will survive this. Here are a few pointers on getting started on finding your inner strength.
Asking For Help
Whether it is grieving the loss of a loved one, or grieving for being a victim to torture, keeping things bottled up within yourself is never going to help. Our minds have the power to store things that we have (consciously) forgotten; every single memory is there. If you were to run away from this, all these memories accumulate and ultimately, a time will come when the smallest of triggers will ignite everything you are running from. This overwhelming rush of things you haven’t dealt with is not healthy. Asking for help, voicing out your fears, worries, and even crying it out, is the healthiest start to take.
Be it a doctor, a friend, family member, or someone from the
local support group, asking for help is the first step to hone the strength
within you.
Accepting It
While running away from your thoughts seems to be the
easiest option, it is not always right. The peace you feel will only be
temporary. No matter how hard it is, and even despite the fact that your
physical wounds have healed, you need to focus on healing the wounds made on
your mind. Accepting what happened is what will begin you on this path. No
matter what, you cannot lie to yourself about what happened.
Accepting what you went through will even help you keep
things into perspective. It will set you at a point where it is up to YOU to
decide whether you are a victim or a survivor.
Making a Difference
The fact that you survived, and came out alive of such a
traumatic experience is enough evidence to point towards your strength. Direct
this power in a positive direction. No matter what, you wouldn’t want any
innocent to go through what you did, right?
Play your part in preventing these incidents. Join a support
group; rather become a part of a group that helps both adults and children, in
terms of facing situations similar to yours. Make a difference in the life of
someone who needs help from YOUR strength. You can do it.
Consider joining a support group or read what others have to say about their loss and grief of a child, so that you can draw your strength from their inspirational stories. Dealing with traumatic situations like torture, as a part of a support group can be a great source of inner peace and comfort. Moreover, consider the Timeless Loving Care Foundation, an international non-profit organization for educating yourself through reading self-help books, watching the videos, and reading about other survivors. For more information, visit their website or call them at 704-280-8528!
