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by ibi5 1602 days ago
I know that you didn't exactly invent the term unresolved trauma, BUT...

As a person with a lot of unresolved trauma (and perfectionism issues), I hate the term "unresolved trauma". I've been working hard with a therapist and a psychologist for years, and I've made a ton of progress, but my trauma will never be truly resolved. Every few years some new facet of damage will pop up that I won't expect and will have to work through.

It's a never ending process, and (imo) the term unresolved trauma implies that there should be a point where it becomes resolved. That's just not realistic or true for a lot of people.

3 comments

Thanks, I've felt the same thing.

I've even seen therapists who claimed that I could completely 'heal'. But that's a perfectionist attitude itself, which had me banging my head against the wall for too long.

I think the truth is far closer to 'able to live a satisfying life in spite of'

"Resolution" of trauma is generally nothing but an imaginary "perfect" state. It doesn't exist and usually chasing that is another form of the same dynamic rather a departure from it.

Kudos to you for identifying that for yourself and trying to distance from it!

One could argue that there will never be an accurate term, and thus hating the term for not being completely accurate is perfectionism.

But I could be wrong.... (Says the perfectionist, letting himself off the hook if he is wrong, which he may very well be because he's talking out his ass)