Quotessence
Home / Authors / Sarah E. Olson Biography

Sarah E. Olson Biography

Author

Related Quotes

“I spent most of my life believing l was crazy because all the crazy things I experienced in childhood were treated as nonexistent or normal. This belief colored every decision made, from something so basic as what to wear today, to the more esoteric boundaries of whether I should kill myself. I understood very well that killing myself under the wrong circumstances would establish my insanity forever. So I analyzed every word, every gesture, before committing myself. (Which probably accounts for why I am alive today.)”

BeliefCrazySurvivalLiesSuicideInsaneDenialInsanitySurvivorChild AbuseSuicidalBelief QuotesSuicidal ThoughtsSelf DoubtChildhood AbusePsychological AbuseBelief SystemSuicidal Ideation
Book:Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Dissociative Identity Disorder
Create image

“The reality is, no matter what you were told, whatever happened to you as a child was not legally or morally your fault. Abused children are instilled with guilt regarding their "participation." It's an especially complex issue if the abuser is a family member. The child is told and believes that by his word his family will disintegrate, or harm may descend upon other loved ones. He fears he will lose more by telling than not.”

FearSilenceLiesShameBlameGuiltBreakupChild AbuseChild Sexual AbusePedophileVictim BlamingSelf BlameChild Abuser
Book:Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Dissociative Identity Disorder
Create image

“Being in a state of denial is a universally human response to situations which threaten to overwhelm. People who were abused as children sometimes carry their denial like precious cargo without a port of destination. It enabled us to survive our childhood experiences, and often we still live in survival mode decades beyond the actual abuse. We protect ourselves to excess because we learned abruptly and painfully that no one else would.”

SecretPsychologySurvivalVictimTraumaProtectionDefenseDenialSurvivorChild AbuseRepressionSelf ProtectionAbuse SurvivorDefense MechanismTraumatic StressTraumatic MemoriesSecret History
Book:Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Dissociative Identity Disorder
Create image

“We say, "It wasn't that bad. It was all my fault. I’m making all this stuff up. " All my life, I spoke bitterly of my mother's treatment of me as a child. Friends asked, “What did she do to you?“ I couldn't really describe it, and in frustration would say, “Well, she didn't lock us up in closets." in fact, my mother behaved much worse than that, but by focusing on the empty closet, I avoided looking at what waited beyond it.”

MotherFearHatredBetrayalRageResentmentChild AbuseAvoidanceAmnesiaRepressed MemoriesDissociative AmnesiaPedophile Protector
Book:Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Dissociative Identity Disorder
Create image

“Nita: I think I overdid the vulnerability stuff in this last letter. and that’s why I’m having an anxiety attack. Howard: With the vulnerability comes the possibility that you’ll be betrayed. Now that you’ve laid yourself wide open, I am the agent of this betrayal? It’s not my style. Nita: I’ve thought it wasn't other people’s style, too.”

FearDoubtBetrayalVulnerableVulnerabilityDistrustDissociative Identity DisorderMistrustPsychotherapyAbusive RelationshipsTrust IssuesRelationship ProblemsTherapy SessionVulnerability Attachment
Book:Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Dissociative Identity Disorder
Create image

“One must consider that small children are virtually incapable of making much impact on their world. No matter what path taken as a child, survivors grow up believing they should have done something differently. Perhaps there is no greater form of survivor guilt than “I didn't try to stop it." Or “I should have told." The legacy of a helpless, vulnerable, out-of-control, and humiliated child creates an adult who is generally tentative, insecure, and quite angry. The anger is not often expressed, however, as it is not safe to be angry with violent people. Confrontation and conflict are difficult for many survivors.”

ConflictAngryGuiltBoundariesVulnerableInsecureConfrontationSurvivorsHumiliatedVictim BlamingRelationship ProblemsChild Abuse SurvivorsSelf BlameHelpedSurvivor GuiltBoundary IssuesChild Abuse EffectsAbuse History
Author:Sarah E. Olson
Create image

“July 15, 1991 Nita: My mother was a paragon of our neighborhood, People always come up to us with hugs, saying "You have the most wonderful mother." l'd think. “Don't you see what's going on in this house?” To this day, if somehow even in jest raises their hand to me, I will do this (raises hands to protect face and cowers) I cringe. Then they look at me like, what's your probem? You don't get that from a great childhood.”

TraumaPtsdTraumatizedPost Traumatic Stress DisorderPosttraumatic Stress DisorderDefensiveTraumatic StressOverreactionTrauma SurvivorHypervigilanceJumpyOverreact
Book:Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Dissociative Identity Disorder
Create image