There have many diaries on psychopathology around here, and with regards to the sitting President’s behaviors. Enough has been said about a possible diagnosis, what the mental health community is doing regarding Duty to Warn, and really how utterly unbelievable it is that this man is the President of the United States of America. Yet something keeps surfacing that truly concerns me, and that hasn’t received much attention as people courageously share horrific stories of abuse having been reminded of their trauma since DJT arrived on the political scene.
re-traumatization
Re-traumatization is a conscious or unconscious reminder of past trauma that can result in a re-experiencing of the initial trauma event. It can be triggered by a situation, an attitude or expression, or by certain environments that replicate the dynamics — loss of power or control or safety.
Many of us don’t feel safe with DJT as the POTUS. We don’t feel in control of our lives or our future. This is the reality of men and women alike who have experienced abusive relationships, both personal and professional, and who are at different stages in their escape and recovery and rebuilding. Many of us have learned that while working on our responses to stress and anxiety we must carefully craft a life that eliminates reminders of our trauma.
And yet we seek information about our country and our democracy. We want to be involved in the resistance and in trying to find ways to make our voices heard. And we most definitely have chosen causes most important to us. Yet there he is. He is on the radio, TV, blogs, newspapers, and even comedy shows — something that has been in my tool box as I rebuild a life riddled with trauma and pain. He is everywhere. His voice. His face. His body.
It seems that we have no safe place. The most unhealthy thing we can do is disconnect and disengage with people and causes which help us on our individual and collective journeys. For many of us who have endured abuse, gradual isolation from support persons and systems happened. It’s not easy to try to find these safeguards sometimes. I like coming to Dkos and I’ve learned to navigate my away around diaries and members of this community for my own benefit, but I wish there was just a little more care for persons who aren’t doing too well these days ...
Trauma is something that has an impact on communities, not just individuals. A community – be it a geographic one, an organizational one, or an identity-based one – can respond in various ways, from ignoring the trauma to offering support, respect, and collaborative action.
DJT is an abuser who has the capability to re-traumatize anyone and everyone who has been belittled, bullied, sexually assaulted, ignored, marginalized, gaslighted, lied to, betrayed and abandoned.
There is something else survivors of abuse know and understand about persons like DJT. He adores that he is the talk of the world. Every day. All day. 24/7. He gains energy and fuel to continue his abuse when he sees his picture plastered everywhere because it’s reinforcement to keep on keeping on. And this is just salt in the wound of re-traumatization.
Please stop using his picture.