By Kaytee Gillis, LCSW-BACS
As a therapist who works with survivors of childhood trauma, I find that self-blame is a common part of their experience. As a survivor myself, I experience this, too. Here are some of the reasons why this happens:
1. Internalized Shame: Children are highly impressionable, and they often internalize messages from their environment, including those that blame them for the abuse or neglect they experienced. Many traumatized children grow up with the message that they are to blame, or are somehow at fault for what happened to them. This can lead to feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and self-blame, as survivors come to believe that they somehow deserved or caused the trauma.
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