And "it was a long time ago, get over it" is something that is too painful for me to be able to interact with, so hopefully someone else can explain why it's not great.
I don't want to derail into personal matters and details too much, but I do want to at least speak in support and understanding here. It's an attitude that I've seen and encountered a fair share of, and it's not good... because the reality is that we are shaped by the events in our lives, one way or another. Traumas like this; with time and healing, and support from those we care about, we can move forward in a healthy way, and perhaps it's no longer a source of trauma or pain... but it never "goes away"; it's always there, ever after, and you don't just 'get better' and have it be gone and forgotten... It will always have had an impact and be something that shaped us moving forward, and for many people, unfortunately, no matter how much time and healing may pass in between, reminders of things like this may never be too far from the surface. It doesn't always show on the surface, and maybe for some who have dealt with it and made those experiences a healthy part of who they now choose to be, it may never show on the surface... but it also never goes away. So to any who ever deal with these topics, in any form, please, try to be considerate. That's all I really want to say publicly on that, and to let others sharing stories in this thread know that they're heard and seen by another pair of eyes.
