How to Use Cognitive Healing to Deal with Childhood Abuse

What goes on in your mind is crucial since the bedrock of cognition is the thought. You should know that cognitive healing has an intentional strategy to realign the cognitive distortions made during childhood abuse.

Bear in mind that cognition occurs through sense, thought, and experiences. These are the 3 elements of cognition that might become hijacked by childhood abuse, and that is why they need to realign with reality.

What you think is crucial. As a matter of fact, in therapy, there is one concept that is known by the name of cognitive dissonance. What is cognitive dissonance?

It is an anxiety condition that occurs when an individual holds on 2 contradictory thoughts at the same time. For instance, an individual who grew up being abused might firmly believe that all people are untrustworthy.

But, when that same individual is surrounded by trustworthy people, the belief and the evidence don’t go together, and this is when dissonance occurs.

And when that happens, discomfort arises. So, the individual might abandon these people and look for the untrustworthy ones that will match their initial belief. A way to recover from childhood abuse is to differentiate the truth from the belief.

You should know that cognitive healing occurs when an individual modifies and changes its initial beliefs which arise from an abusive, unhealthy past.

And when the same person relies only on updated beliefs and present-day experiences. In case you were abused as a child, you should remember a few things.

6 Things You Should Remember If You Were Abused as Child

#1 You Aren’t in Danger

An individual who has gone through childhood abuse is hardwired to expect something terrible to happen and to feel like danger is at every corner. They’ve been conditioned to react to avoid, survive, or try to avoid risk.

Scary situations have their own rules which are no rules beyond escaping to survive.

#2 Remember, You’re Not Worthless

Individuals don’t generally put forth a significant effort for things of no or little value. So, in case you believe that you’re an item that has no or little value, you might not put in effort on your behalf.

You might presuppose that others won’t put out effort on your behalf, as well. Love yourself; you are worth it because you are strong.

#3 No, You Aren’t Stupid

Many successful people have a destructive seed of doubt when it comes to their intellectual abilities. It is like that since those same people were treated as stupid or told that they were silly while growing up.

#4 You’re Not Unlovable

It is known that people love those things which they genuinely value. So, if you think you have no value whatsoever, then you’re certain that no one else might or should love you. It is like that since you cannot find love for yourself.

By believing you are unlovable, you get away from the contention for the effort, attention, and affection of others.

#5 You’re Not Destined to Stay the Victim

Due to childhood abuse, you might experience feelings of powerlessness. You might start to think that you are in a constant fight with stronger forces, which are made to bring you down.

You start to believe that the whole world and life is against you. The truth is different. You need to change your perspective on things to change your life.

#6 No, You’re Not Doomed to Fail

Remember the phrases: “no risk means no reward,” or “no pain, no gain.” In case you are convinced that pain won’t lead to gain, or that a particular risk won’t come later with a reward, then why would you go through pain and risk?

If you believe that failure is assured, then why not settle for specific assurance in the identity of some different place? To experience change, you must step out of your comfort zone and go someplace different.

Find motivation while you move, believe that you can do it and you will eventually move to a better place. These are only a few of the negative thoughts that can burrow into the mindset of a person during childhood abuse.

They are just an illustration of the way cognition might be impaired during false beliefs. To effect healing and change, you need to learn to reject and interrogate all of your beliefs and thoughts.

Even if you believe that those beliefs and thoughts kept you safe during your childhood days. Each belief and thought needs to stand on its ground, within a positive and healthy worldview and mindset.

Start with yourself, see the change in you so you can see it in others and eventually in the world.