Posted by Tamar on June 2, 2005, at 18:16:24
In reply to Could this be sexual abuse/trauma??, posted by Torey on June 2, 2005, at 16:22:55
Goodness, that sounds like quite an ordeal. I hated puberty enough at 12! It must have been very confusing at 4.
I think the doctors’ exams could have been traumatic, though not necessarily abusive.
I think it's really normal for little kids to object to being touched there. My five year-old daughter doesn't like anyone touching her genitals; when she had a rash she was prescribed some cream and she wanted to put it on herself; she wouldn't let me do it. So I let her do it herself.I can imagine it could have been quite distressing for you. And of course if you were young you might not have fully understood the medical necessity.
The other problem is that people don’t explain to little kids about the automatic responses the body has to being touched, which might have been more pronounced if you were going through puberty. Sometimes there can be a combination of automatic arousal and emotional distress, which can be very confusing.
Not everyone who cuts has a history of sexual abuse. But your history of precocious puberty and intimate exams does sound traumatic. If you are seeing a psychologist I think you would probably find it very helpful to talk about it. It might not be easy, but I think you would find it worthwhile.
I hope you find some answers to your questions.
Tamar
poster:Tamar
thread:506982
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050528/msgs/507029.html