Your Most Traumatic Childhood Memory

[RavingLibDem]

shiiit, I just want to say that so many people have gone through incredibly traumatic experiences, and seem to have come through to become good people - I just thought I'd say keep going.

On my front, a car crash when I was 8 meant that I couldn't sit in the front of a car til I was 17, and forced myself to, even now im to afraid to learn to drive.

I also nearly drowned in a kayak, turned over, couldnt get out because of the spraydeck, and i wasnt pulled out til 40 seconds after.

umm, did walk in on my parents but i was 15 - so more disgusting than traumatising.

Was bullied at school for about 10 years from age 6 to 16, and only now feel the ability to be myself rather than the slightly horrible person I became. Mental bullying is not taken seriously enough, and I still for instance struggle to ask girls out, or express any liking/flirt, or anythung like that simply because if i tried anything similar at school, they'd never leave me alone.

apart from that the fact that I found out 3 years after my sister had been raped, later found out this had happened again a different time, and that she could have hepititis, i still can't ask her whats happened with that because I simply do not know how to let on I know. It's the feeling of powerlessness that it introduces, because as her brother I feel that I should be there to protect her, but simply can't :-( anyway, nothing too bad compared to many, but thought id share

 

[BeeRye]

Going down the driveway to this private hospital where my dad was and making some joke about crazy people. Car stops and my mam and older brother just stare at me. Making me realize my dad was in there for mental issues. Knocked me back a fair bit.

 

[Haliwali]

Most of my childhood has been lost to time, but from 8 on my lax nature has allowed me to take most of my experiences in stride, and I've had the fortune of not having much in the way of terrible times. However, my most traumatizing moment was simultaneously one of my best.

Midnight, April 23, 1993. I woke up to the sound of someone blundering around the house, followed by hushed voices. Automatically jumping to the conclusion of a burglar, I grabbed my bokken (as I've always been more into martial arts than sports) and snuck out of my room. As it turns out, I was right.

There was a burglar, and he had woken my parents. Rather than fleeing, however, he was holding them at gunpoint. A roaring, fearless nine-year-old made him turn around. A hit to the knees, then to the left arm, then to the head. He was immobilized, disarmed, and knocked unconscious in quick succession. A quick 911 call later, and he was gone.

You, sir, are awesome.

 

[Writer_Strykes]

Trauma, eh? I'd have to say mine would be an incident when I was younger- say about.. four? Maybe five? The night before my aunt had given me these two dolls that were roughly my size. The next day in our apartment, my brother sat me in front of the two dolls in our living room and then proceeded to swiftly pop the heads off both the dolls and chase me around our apartment. Granted, my father put a stop to that once he heard the epic amounts of screaming but by then the damage was done: I actually gained a phobia for anything larger than a barbie doll.

Any dolls I had? Locked into storage or given away. Mannequins in the clothing stores? I couldn't go within a ten foot radius of them without clinging to someone and shutting my eyes. Nightmares that persisted for years and so much more thanks to that one incident.

Though I doubt I'd trade it for the world now.

Soon after the incident I found myself playing my brother's Sega Genesis. I am now more of a gamer than he is. So yeah, traumatic experiences? They break us, but in the end they make us.

 

[MoganFreeman]

- Throwing me by my hair into furniture and kicking me when I tried to get up.

- Telling me I a was a worthless fool and threatening to disown me for not believing in God.

That's probably what Jesus would've done.

/satire

 

[Johnny Ringo]

When I was about eleven I had a parakeet by the name of Buddy. I loved that parakeet, fed it, cleaned after it and talked to it. I'd got it through my head that she might talk back like a parrot does if I tried hard enough.
Well my Mom had a home day care, which wasn't too bad. We'd watch other people's kids for a few hours a day and they'd leave.
A few of the kids thought it might be fun to let the bird out to play while I was in the other room. Buddy didn't want to be played with. She flew out of the cage and circled the room a few times while they tried to catch her. After a few loops she tried to escape through the window. Window wasn't open.
I hear a crack and come in to see my Mom holding my little Buddy, her neck was tilted at an unnatural angle and she was looking at me. It was the first time she'd ever let me hold her. She stared straight back at me with that beautiful pleading eye and I knew that she wasn't going to be okay.
But the funny thing about it was, I knew it had to happen. She wasn't going to get better. I knew that I'd rather have her die than continue hurting like that.

So I left her there, and she died.

That was my first experience with mortality.

 

[Emeli]

Well, my most traumatic/earliest memory would probably be when my older sister took to the back of my head with the sharp edge of a steel shovel. I'm sure she didn't really mean to hurt me, she was only five and I was about three. I don't really remember the pain but I can remember how my head was suddenly knocked forward and I remember holding my head, afraid she'd actually opened up my skull and my brain was going to fall out (once again, I was three).

Probably second to that would be watching the same sister playing 'keep away' with our dobermans and my favourite stuffed toy, Ducky. Maybe not as physically damaging as the shovel, but I've never in my whole life cried as hard as when I saw Ducky ripped to shreds. I'm literally tearing up now as I type.

If you're seeing a recurring theme here, you're probably right.

 

[Turtleboy1017]

My childhood was (no offense) freaking awesome compared to yours. I read a few of these posts, and the things that some of you guys have been through are just awful.

For me, worst thing i can remember was getting this huge scar on my knee from this wooden table. It had these SHARP edges and i totally slammed my knee into one of the corners... that was a lot of blood.

 

[Jenkins]

well my parents divorced when I was 4, they always argued alot and got into some physical fights that I witnessed a couple times.

now this is a bit more recent (year ago) but its been in my mind most days and its scarring.

my dad went gay after the devorce and has a new "partner" who I swear is bipolar, well one night I was sleeping when he came to the door drunk and started cursing(supposedly he was in LA and his car broke down but my dad was on call and working and in a meeting at the same time and couldnt come till later, so he got a taxi back) and he started yelling at my dad to be let in, which my dad wouldnt let him because he knew they would fight, well he threatened to break the window in the house and get in their and threatened to beat the shit outa my dad, my dad threatened to call the cops, which then his "partner" left

the cops came and searched the house, then left (meaningless) and then his partner came back yelling to be let inside(which my dad finally did, where they then had another arguement.


I was awake for the whole damn thing, and now everytime I go to my dads house I ALWAYS have to bring sleeping pills and water so that if something bad happens I can always knock myself out before it gets outa control.


his "partner" has scarred me for life because hes done this multiple times (different scenarios) im always scared when I go their even though I hide it. I dont know why my dad still lives with him.


P.S ignore my grammar

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

Hmm... Should I go with a joke or seriousness?
*reads thread*
Huh. Seriousness it is.

I guess the most traumatic experience for me was being repeatedly molested by my father and half-sister for that whole early period of my life. I suppose it doesn't really count, though, seeing as I didn't know that sort of thing was wrong at the time, and it hasn't really affected who I am as a person.
Fucked my sister up good and proper, though.

Uhm...

Oh, there was that time my mums drunken (now ex)boyfriend beat me and her silly. The beating wasn't the traumatic part, however. What was traumatic was having to spend the whole next year pretending I didn't want to lop off his head mount it on the wall for all he's done to my mum.
You see, she was still madly in love with him, and I thought that the only way she could be happy was to be with him.
...
Um, yeah. Now I have to go make a joke about something before I create a black hole of awkward.

 

[Ryuzix]

Probably the physical and emotional abuse:

- Throwing me by my hair into furniture and kicking me when I tried to get up.

- Telling me I a was a worthless fool and threatening to disown me for not believing in God.

- Being told what to say when cops visited my home along with child protective services. Cleaning up extra-tidy right before the inspections.

:O!
HOLY SHIT, that sounds horrible.
My worst memory is getting tackled by a dog, I was about 9.
It hurt, a lot.
By the way, the dog was a fucking tank.

 

[manicfoot]

Probably when my girlfriend lied about being raped when I was 13. She called me and the line suddenly went dead. I tried calling her back and a few hours later she answered crying, saying she had just been raped. A few weeks later she said she made it all up because 'she didn't want me to get bored of her'. Now I have major trust issues with women.

 

[Incompl te]

eh being neraly run over by a truck at age 4

Story is, at school with mum waiting to pick up sister. Mum goes to find sister me being in my own dreamy-world don't see her go. Panic. Cry. Run to the traffic lights to get to the car. Run across road. Metres from being run over. Get to car. See no ones there. Then 2 friendly older women help me find my way back to her. Luckily they were nice unlike some of the stories ive heard here.

Uhh parents explicitelly telling me id be a failure if i was gay. Lost my trust in them now.

uhh...bullied for being gay. Kinda makes my life difficult as i now have social problems and find it hard to make friends.

 

[Ignignoct]

Probably when my girlfriend lied about being raped when I was 13. She called me and the line suddenly went dead. I tried calling her back and a few hours later she answered crying, saying she had just been raped. A few weeks later she said she made it all up because 'she didn't want me to get bored of her'. Now I have major trust issues with women.

LMAO...

Wow. That's terrifying.

I just don't trust women because my last 2 girlfriends started off nerdy/smart/fun and warped into clingy/manipulative/suicidal-if-I-left-them.

That, and my mom was divorced 4 times, and married a 5th. She hopped from man-to-man having kids and draining them of money, then moving on to a new host.

Yes.

I just described my mom as a virus. What does that make me? >XD

 

[Ignignoct]

eh being neraly run over by a truck at age 4

Story is, at school with mum waiting to pick up sister. Mum goes to find sister me being in my own dreamy-world don't see her go. Panic. Cry. Run to the traffic lights to get to the car. Run across road. Metres from being run over. Get to car. See no ones there. Then 2 friendly older women help me find my way back to her. Luckily they were nice unlike some of the stories ive heard here.

Uhh parents explicitelly telling me id be a failure if i was gay. Lost my trust in them now.

uhh...bullied for being gay. Kinda makes my life difficult as i now have social problems and find it hard to make friends.

Just repress all your feelings and exist in an emotionally false representation of yourself in public and you'll never have any social problems again.

Yup.

Never-ever.

 

[Incompl te]

eh being neraly run over by a truck at age 4

Story is, at school with mum waiting to pick up sister. Mum goes to find sister me being in my own dreamy-world don't see her go. Panic. Cry. Run to the traffic lights to get to the car. Run across road. Metres from being run over. Get to car. See no ones there. Then 2 friendly older women help me find my way back to her. Luckily they were nice unlike some of the stories ive heard here.

Uhh parents explicitelly telling me id be a failure if i was gay. Lost my trust in them now.

uhh...bullied for being gay. Kinda makes my life difficult as i now have social problems and find it hard to make friends.

Just repress all your feelings and exist in an emotionally false representation of yourself in public and you'll never have any social problems again.

Yup.

Never-ever.

Oh yea and i forgot to mention that i've often seriously thought about suicide and what a great relief it would be. Reasons like how i feel i'll always be alone after numerous rejections and then insults from people i liked. And feeling everyone hates me which is partly true anyway. And feeling like i don't fit in with thios world because of my social issue.

But then when it gets a bit too much i write poetry. Tell me if you're interested in reading some. Oh and i am 14 so its not going to be brilliant.

EDIT: oh not too traumatic but saddeining still

Few weeks ago had to write (for school) a 600 word recount about best day of my life. Sure good stuff happens to me but nothing big enugh to go on for 600 words about. Of course we could make it up but then reading over it i'd feel more depressed about the crappiness of my life at the moment and how I can't live happily like in the recount. So i tell my teacher this and she is stunned to say the least.

 

[manicfoot]

Probably when my girlfriend lied about being raped when I was 13. She called me and the line suddenly went dead. I tried calling her back and a few hours later she answered crying, saying she had just been raped. A few weeks later she said she made it all up because 'she didn't want me to get bored of her'. Now I have major trust issues with women.

LMAO...

Wow. That's terrifying.

I just don't trust women because my last 2 girlfriends started off nerdy/smart/fun and warped into clingy/manipulative/suicidal-if-I-left-them.

That, and my mom was divorced 4 times, and married a 5th. She hopped from man-to-man having kids and draining them of money, then moving on to a new host.

Yes.

I just described my mom as a virus. What does that make me? >XD

I've had girlfriends like that. Infact, the girl who lied about being raped harmed herself when I dumped her. I distinctly remember her texting me saying "I've just drank a pint of my own blood" haha.
Annnd that makes you the offspring of the virus and nothing more Its not like your going to follow your mother's fine example now is it? Unless the virus spreads like a zombie infection... Shotgun to the bitches face! NAOOOOWW :O

 

[Ignignoct]

eh being neraly run over by a truck at age 4

Story is, at school with mum waiting to pick up sister. Mum goes to find sister me being in my own dreamy-world don't see her go. Panic. Cry. Run to the traffic lights to get to the car. Run across road. Metres from being run over. Get to car. See no ones there. Then 2 friendly older women help me find my way back to her. Luckily they were nice unlike some of the stories ive heard here.

Uhh parents explicitelly telling me id be a failure if i was gay. Lost my trust in them now.

uhh...bullied for being gay. Kinda makes my life difficult as i now have social problems and find it hard to make friends.

Just repress all your feelings and exist in an emotionally false representation of yourself in public and you'll never have any social problems again.

Yup.

Never-ever.

Oh yea and i forgot to mention that i've often seriously thought about suicide and what a great relief it would be. Reasons like how i feel i'll always be alone after numerous rejections and then insults from people i liked. And feeling everyone hates me which is partly true anyway. And feeling like i don't fit in with thios world because of my social issue.

But then when it gets a bit too much i write poetry. Tell me if you're interested in reading some. Oh and i am 14 so its not going to be brilliant.

I'm like you. Not gay (my sex-drive is 0), but never felt I belong, or think/want the things my peers do. But I "didn't belong" alongside my brother. He's got PTSD from Iraq and I find meaning and purpose in giving him a better life.

All through 14-18, I kept telling myself that I should tough it out, because life starts when you're an independent adult. I'm glad I did.

Find a reason for yourself to succeed. Use your hatred of an unjust world to overcome it.

Hang in there.

 

[Incompl te]

eh being neraly run over by a truck at age 4

Story is, at school with mum waiting to pick up sister. Mum goes to find sister me being in my own dreamy-world don't see her go. Panic. Cry. Run to the traffic lights to get to the car. Run across road. Metres from being run over. Get to car. See no ones there. Then 2 friendly older women help me find my way back to her. Luckily they were nice unlike some of the stories ive heard here.

Uhh parents explicitelly telling me id be a failure if i was gay. Lost my trust in them now.

uhh...bullied for being gay. Kinda makes my life difficult as i now have social problems and find it hard to make friends.

Just repress all your feelings and exist in an emotionally false representation of yourself in public and you'll never have any social problems again.

Yup.

Never-ever.

Oh yea and i forgot to mention that i've often seriously thought about suicide and what a great relief it would be. Reasons like how i feel i'll always be alone after numerous rejections and then insults from people i liked. And feeling everyone hates me which is partly true anyway. And feeling like i don't fit in with thios world because of my social issue.

But then when it gets a bit too much i write poetry. Tell me if you're interested in reading some. Oh and i am 14 so its not going to be brilliant.

I'm like you. Not gay (my sex-drive is 0), but never felt I belong, or think/want the things my peers do. But I "didn't belong" alongside my brother. He's got PTSD from Iraq and I live to give him a better life.

All through 14-18, I kept telling myself that I should tough it out, because life starts when you're an independent adult. I'm glad I did.

Find a reason for yourself to succeed. Use your hatred of an unjust world to overcome it.

Hang in there.

Thanks thats probably one of the best pieces of advice ever given.

 

[lapan]

Getting bullied pretty much my whole school life. I have learned to accept it, and it takes a whole lot to annoy me now.

Also, when i was about 11 years old my mother and father had a big fight with each other, so big that my mother wanted to leave us. My little sister and brother cried so hard that i started crying too. Since then i fell the urge to cry whenever i see someone crying.