Acceptance and Moving Forward
Author Message
MakersDozn Offline
MM Oldtimer
*****

Posts: 1,950
Threads: 186
Joined: Mar 2012
#1
Question  Acceptance and Moving Forward
In the thread about connecting in the singleton world, rainbows said something that we think is very important: that no matter what we experience as survivors, we keep moving forward.

In our case, we struggle with acceptance, which we know is a key to healing. Twelve-step programs and other support groups point out that acceptance is necessary to moving forward. But it's still difficult. We/MDs continue to want things that we can't have--parents that fully meet our basic needs, and a "do-over" for a happy childhood. The very young, very hurt part of us is simply not ready to let these needs go.

Can anyone identify with this kind of struggle? Or similar struggle? How do you work toward acceptance, especially when it's difficult to do so?

MDs
09-13-2015, 11:20 AM
Website Find Reply
nats Offline
here and there..
*****

Posts: 1,760
Threads: 89
Joined: Dec 2011
#2
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
we hate acceptance. to us it feels like giving up (e.g. i accept that i'll never be an olympic athlete and most of us don't care, but some of us still insist as stubborn as ever that acknowledging our total lack of sporting talent and accepting that our interests anyway lie elsewhere is equivalent to 'giving up'). every process of acceptance feels like giving up/giving in and some of us tend to resist passionately even when it's in all of our best interests. frustrating...
Blush Learn how to manage conflict, because the greater the level you can tolerate, the more freedom you will retain - E. Walsh Smile
09-13-2015, 01:48 PM
Find Reply
MakersDozn Offline
MM Oldtimer
*****

Posts: 1,950
Threads: 186
Joined: Mar 2012
#3
Sad  RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
Yes, we feel the same way. We also feel as if acceptance equals dismissing the validity of our pain, as if the pain never existed. As if we never felt hurt or experienced what hurt us. And this in turn feels as if we're invalid as people.

We have a great deal of difficulty separating our sense of self from our concept of other people. An infant sees the caregiver as an extension of him/herself. If the caregiver meets the infant's needs, the infant thrives and develops a healthy sense of self, gradually letting go of the perception of the caregiver as an extension of self. The child becomes his or her own person.

This never happened with us. At least it feels this way.

Charity
09-13-2015, 03:33 PM
Website Find Reply
Cammy Offline
Senior Member
*****

Posts: 694
Threads: 98
Joined: Feb 2013
#4
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
i am struggling mightily with acceptance right now. The struggle is system-wide, from my littles all the way through to my 'NOW' host self. After some terrible setbacks, i have intellectually come to realize that without acceptance I will remain quite stuck in our present state. So, slowly, I am taking small bits of the past and working to accept the smaller, easier pieces. I just cannot en masse get myself to accept what has happened...it's too much. Part of acceptance for me involves the feeling that by letting go i am somehow invalidating the experience and thereby betraying myself. This feeling is the hardest part of acceptance for me. I have had to find a way to accept the past and particular instances and specific perpetrators, and just accept and let it go without allowing myself to feel like this means it never happened or like it doesn't matter. It will always matter, but I see now that if I don't accept/let go, I am continuing to hurt myself, and I do not want anyone or anything to have that kind of power over me anymore. It is a process and by working on the smaller bits, I am hoping that eventually I will possess the skill and personal strength to work with the bigger stuff.
Heart
Disclaimer: Any words or phrases used in our posts are meant in a completely respectful manner. Please know that we always endeavour to be kind and supportive.
09-13-2015, 10:04 PM
Find Reply
Tangled Web Offline
Senior Member
*****

Posts: 1,161
Threads: 169
Joined: Feb 2012
#5
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
We don't like the word the acceptance for ALL the reasons everyone has listed above. It is like we are expecting to be turned into a door mat and just lay down and take what ever gets dumped on us and that is not an option for us.
For us we take a different approach than looking at things as something to accept or acceptance of things. Accept means to -agree to receive or do (something offered or proposed)., regard favourably, believe or receive as valid or correct, admit responsibility for, put up with. (Oxford dictionary). We can't accept what was done to us, but we can believe what was done which is a synonym of accept. No wonder people have such hard time with this word acceptance. None of it really applies or IMO helps with the healing process, except for the word believe-so that is the word we use instead of acceptance. Nothing else fits. We also focus more on the word choice and what things we chose to do as a child and what things we chose not to do or had no choice in. Acceptance is never in the equation.
Savannah
"You may not remember what someone says or does, but you will never forget how they made you feel" Mac Anderson.
(This post was last modified: 09-13-2015, 10:25 PM by Tangled Web.)
09-13-2015, 10:23 PM
Find Reply
MakersDozn Offline
MM Oldtimer
*****

Posts: 1,950
Threads: 186
Joined: Mar 2012
#6
Feedback  RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
Hello,

Thank you, Igraine and Savannah. We agree with what each of you wrote.

Our system has reached a point where, having seemingly exhausted all other options, is having ongoing discussion among the adults, myself included. None of the five us is comfortable functioning in the outside world; this is an undeniable truth. But we are beginning to realize how critical it is to do what we can do, and do it as consistently as possible, and put our collective well-being ahead of mundane discomfort.

This is not to deny the significance of anyone's pain. But if we work consistently in small ways, we minimize the likelihood of being impacted by severe distress.

Drew
09-16-2015, 08:19 PM
Website Find Reply
indilee7 Offline
Member
*****

Posts: 5
Threads: 1
Joined: Nov 2015
#7
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
We go back and forth between acceptance and complete denial. Sometimes there's a mix of the two. Acceptance of how we were raised and what our purpose in life is because of the abuse can be frightening. Plus there is the isolation in daily living with the assistance of a therapist. Does this get better? That's where denial comes in. Thankfully, my wise parts help with knowing that there's others in the world with DID. But that only goes so far.
Hoping one day I will find a purpose and achieve some sort of acceptance.
11-09-2015, 07:45 PM
Find Reply
nats Offline
here and there..
*****

Posts: 1,760
Threads: 89
Joined: Dec 2011
#8
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
it does get better and you will get there if you keep pushing yourself forward. it's hard though, no doubt about that.
Blush Learn how to manage conflict, because the greater the level you can tolerate, the more freedom you will retain - E. Walsh Smile
11-10-2015, 04:51 PM
Find Reply
MakersDozn Offline
MM Oldtimer
*****

Posts: 1,950
Threads: 186
Joined: Mar 2012
#9
Friendship/Support  RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
It's nice to meet you, indilee.

Charity and others
11-10-2015, 06:48 PM
Website Find Reply
indilee7 Offline
Member
*****

Posts: 5
Threads: 1
Joined: Nov 2015
#10
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
Hello Charity and others! Nice to meet you. I am new here though not new to the complex topic of acceptance. My therapist says accepting ourselves without judgment is essential. Definitely much easier than it sounds.
11-11-2015, 12:42 AM
Find Reply
The People Offline
Long Time Member Who grew Up Here
*****

Posts: 2,869
Threads: 1,021
Joined: Jun 2012
#11
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
I remember when my parents d*ed over 10 years apart. As we worked throough the issues we recognized that by and large we mourned exactly what you have said. Their illness (well more illness) ad subsequent death meant that we would never have the parenting that we viewed in other parent child relationships

We did 2 things that helped. We looked at the gifts that we got from them. For example we are grateful that we inherited our mother's intelligence and our father's extroversion. As my mother was an anxious introvert and my father was not very bright I gasp when I think about the me that would have been had things been the reverse. My mother loved to read and allowed me to live in books. That was a gift in itself as it was my greatest escape. Some of the child alters are somewhat fashioned after story books we read in the early years.

They did give us gifts. Their best was not nearly good enough but imagine how it would be without those gifts.
I Am My Only Chance For A Hero!
11-11-2015, 09:01 PM
Find Reply
The People Offline
Long Time Member Who grew Up Here
*****

Posts: 2,869
Threads: 1,021
Joined: Jun 2012
#12
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
A thought


Attached Files Image(s)
   
I Am My Only Chance For A Hero!
(This post was last modified: 11-12-2015, 10:40 PM by The People.)
11-12-2015, 10:38 PM
Find Reply
The People Offline
Long Time Member Who grew Up Here
*****

Posts: 2,869
Threads: 1,021
Joined: Jun 2012
#13
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
Sorry. Didn't know it would be so big. Tried to remove it but it didn't work.
I Am My Only Chance For A Hero!
11-12-2015, 10:40 PM
Find Reply
nats Offline
here and there..
*****

Posts: 1,760
Threads: 89
Joined: Dec 2011
#14
RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
so true! it's a good way of looking at it People.
Blush Learn how to manage conflict, because the greater the level you can tolerate, the more freedom you will retain - E. Walsh Smile
11-13-2015, 05:02 AM
Find Reply
MakersDozn Offline
MM Oldtimer
*****

Posts: 1,950
Threads: 186
Joined: Mar 2012
#15
Happy  RE: Acceptance and Moving Forward
Cool image, and cool thought!

MDs Smile
11-22-2015, 12:58 PM
Website Find Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Moving again The People 4 3,190 01-04-2016, 03:04 AM
Last Post: The People

Forum Jump: