Every 98 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted. Both men and women are at risks. It’s hard to cope when the perpetrator is still freely walking around you. Understanding the effects and injuries inflicted could help you figure out what kind of help you need.
Anyone who has gone through a situation where they’ve been violated by someone else can sympathize with the feelings brought on by that distasteful act. Apart from internally struggling with a range of emotions from anger to guilt, survivors may also find it hard to share what they’ve gone through to trusted friends and family members.
Trauma’s effect on you
The trauma resulting from any assault, much less, one that attacks your mind and body, is extreme to a point where it seeps into your work and personal life. Some effects sexual assault victims face are:
· Depression
· Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
· Substance abuse
· Sleep disorders
· Eating disorders
· Sexual transmitted infections
Ways to help you cope
It’s hard to move on. Everyone would understand how you struggle with focus as the intrusive thoughts that impact you never leave your mind. It is important to tackle these thoughts and find ways to manage the onset of emotions, psychological, mental and physical effects the perpetrator may have caused you. Some ways to cope are:
· Writing down your thoughts and remembering that it is not your fault
· Seeking a trauma focused therapy treatment
· Understanding what happened and determining how it is affecting you
· Participating in physical exercise
· Focus on exercises which increases awareness and inner strengths
· Seeking legal help and information to better assist you
The road to dealing with a situation in which you were sexually assaulted is tough. It contains a mixture of emotions and the event could leave major impacts on your life.
It is not easy to feel like you’ve lost control of your life. Understanding how it is affecting your life and figuring out new ways to cope could be the stepping stone in taking back control of your life.