Boundaries Are Vital...and not only for your mental health

 Unfortunately, as a child, you can't leave narcissistic people (ie family members, school bullies--including teachers) and find your own place. If you've experienced abuse from these areas and your voice has been "stolen," it's a horrifying situation to be in. The people you should be able to trust to help you, oftentimes won't.

So what happens? Your mental health suffers as does your physical well-being. When you experience having your voice stolen, you can go into a tailspin which can lead to illness.

Autoimmine diseases can develop: Crohn's, Lupis, diabetes, Meniere's, certain kinds of arthritis. The list goes on and on. The victim grows up to then be victimized by their own body.

My issues began when I was 8 years old. This was when I went from being the invisible child to the scapegoat. My oldest sibling had moved out (they'd been the 'blacksheep') and I inherited the attention that used to fall on him. But there was no one I could talk to to understand what was going on.

It wasn't until I was 12 that I finally had my own bedroom. My personal space. It was where I could withdraw, focus on something creative--music, writing, reading--and escape the narcissism if only for a few hours. That helped establish some boundaries.

If you're not able to completely escape the abuse, find some way to alleviate it. The continual state of adrenalin rush is extremely dangerous. You need boundaries, you NEED space to breathe and find peace and calm for the sake of your mental and physical health.

If you're in a situation where your voice has been stolen, find professional help. Your future self will be extremely grateful you did, because you won't be dealing with crippling diseases that will keep you in poverty and pain.