❤Ronnie❤

#EXJW In 2002 (20 years ago), I made a decision that changed the course and trajectory of my life forever. It was a very unhappy and tumultuous time. I left a very high control religion that I had known my entire life. I gave up “friends,” acquaintances, community, Page 1

Introverts don’t need “me time.” We need “not you time.”

Emotionally mature adults do not: • play mind games • avoid accountability • unload stress on others • disrespect your boundaries Being with emotionally mature people is a gift.

Hot take: Toxic families don’t address what actually happened. They attack the person who pointed it out and make them the problem.

People lose their lives to psychological and emotional abuse. I almost did. This kind of abuse isn’t just about hurt feelings. It distorts your reality, destroys your self trust and esteem, traps your body in chronic survival and can wear you down mentally, physically and spiritually until you collapse. And then the ones who harmed you will point at your collapse as evidence you are the problem. People need to stop talking about these relationships like they are just difficult or “toxic.” For many, they are life threatening.

Disabled people shouldn’t have to beg for healthcare, housing and food. They shouldn’t have to “prove they matter” to access social supports. They shouldn’t have to explain their disability to every single person who asks. Disability is a minority group you can join any time.

Note to introverts: for every person who thinks you’re ‘too quiet’ there’s someone else who thinks you’re an amazing listener.

You are NOT A BURDEN if you are sad often. You are NOT A BURDEN if you are living with constant anxiety. You are NOT A BURDEN if you need a lot of reassurances. You are NOT A BURDEN if you reach out for help. You are NOT AN BURDEN if you are fighting with your negative thoughts.

Quiet people go silent when they're hurt. It's not a coping mechanism, it's a way to protect their peace. They can lash out. Get angry. Argue & fight. But they know it's not worth it. So they simply withdraw, go silent and process their emotions in private. But you won't get it.

I’m an introvert. It’s not that I don’t like people, I just value peace. I recharge in quiet, not crowds. I speak when it matters. I’m observant, not distant. I crave real connection, not constant attention. If I choose your company, it means everything.

My therapist said something that hasn’t left me: People living with anxiety and depression often don’t remember much, not because their lives lacked meaning, but because they were busy surviving moment to moment. When you’re in survival mode, you’re not fully present… and when you’re not fully present, memories don’t really stick. And yeah… that hit me.

When your mental health isn't in the best state, give yourself a break. Don't feel guilty for things you can't do. Normal things like eating, enjoying shopping, sleeping, or socializing may be difficult. Rest, recover and be kind to yourself, and know the bad times are temporary.

People love to say survivors throw around the word “narcissist” too much, but most survivors are not trying to make a clinical diagnosis. They are trying to name repeated patterns of harmful behavior they experienced and had no language for. As they heal, they begin to recognize patterns like: Love bombing and fast intensity. Mirroring. Isolation. Gaslighting. Blame-shifting. Image management. A Jekyll and Hyde personality. Lack of accountability. Lack of remorse. Lack of repair. Reality distortion. Most survivors are not saying, “This person has a diagnosis.” They are saying, “I have lived through this pattern enough times to know what it looks like. And naming the pattern is often where healing begins.

Trauma isn't just about what happened. It's also about what didn't happen, like not being heard, supported, comforted, protected, or believed.

once your mental health improves, you really start to realize how awfully people treated you when you were just in need of support.

“You don’t talk much do you?” Me: *tries to talk* - gets interrupted - no one cares - gets talked over - gets ignored

Family scapegoats learn early: your pain doesn't matter, but their comfort does. Your truth is "drama," but their dysfunction is "just how things are." No wonder you learned to self-silence. But the world needs your voice, please.

People who've experienced trauma often communicate in ways that aren't always understood. Sometimes, they overexplain everything. They apologize for things that aren't even their fault. They try to be as clear as possible so there's no chance of being misunderstood. And other times... they do the opposite. They go quiet. They stop explaining. They shut down. Not because they don't have anything to say but because, at some point, speaking up didn't feel safe. When someone's truth has been questioned, dismissed, or used against them enough times, they learn to protect themselves. Either by over-explaining... or by saying nothing at all. It's not attention-seeking. It's self-protection. It's what happens when someone had to learn that their voice wasn't always handled with care.

Let’s be clear about something: Gratitude is not a cure-all. Telling someone who’s carried trauma for decades to “just be grateful” isn’t helpful. It’s dismissive. And it can feel deeply cruel. Healing is more complex than that. Stay positive and take action!

Let's normalize telling others,...

People often don’t realize how deeply exhausting anxiety can be. It doesn’t just affect the body or the mind, it slowly drains you from the inside out. It leaves you carrying a kind of tiredness that rest doesn’t seem to touch, no matter how much you sleep or try to recover.