Time does NOT heal all wounds

1. Time does NOTheal all wounds Master´s research from The University of Akureyri Sigrún Sigurðardóttir Instructor: Dr. Sigríður Halldórsdóttir Adviser: Dr. Guðrún Agnarsdóttir Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

2. The purpose of the study • To examine health and well-being of women who have suffered psychological trauma as children, things like sexual abuse and other types of violence. Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

3. The research method • A qualitative, phenomenological • The Vancouver school • 14 interviews in all • Seven women at the age 30-65 Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

4. Women´s history • Repeated sexual abuse from a close relative before the age of 12 from more than one person • Five of them grew up on a violent home and three of them with alcoholism • Four of them were victims of bullying in school • Four of them were raped later in live • Four of them had a husband that was an alcoholic and treated them with some type of violence Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

5. The health and well-being of the women • 1. Experiencing the trauma • 2. Well being as a child and as a teenager • 3. Physical problems • 4. Psychological problems • 5. Difficulties with bonding, trust and touching • 6. Recent situation and future expectations Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

6. 1. Experiencing the trauma • 1. Self accusations and guilt • 2. Soultheft, souldeath, pain, despairation, stress and torture • 3. Defenceless and broken personal line • 4. Secrecy, threat og humiliation • 5. Memories and flashback • 6. Leaving the body Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

7. 2. Well being as a child and as a teenager • 1. Psychological problems, fear, difficulty in school, victims of bullying • 2. Physical symptoms • 3. Domestic violence and sexual abuse • 4. Selfdestructive behavior, suicidal thoughts, suicidal attempts Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

8. 3. Physical problems • 1. Uterine problems • 2. Fibromyalgia, myalgia, unexplained pain, sleeping problems • 3. Eating disorders and alcoholabuse • 4. Complicated physical symptoms Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

9. 4. Psychological problems • 1. Depression, Postpartum depression and anxiety • 2. Selfdestructive behaviour, suicidal thoughts • 3. Feeling of rejection • 4. Fear and panic • 5. Flashbacks • 6. Avoidance, phobias and isolation Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

10. 5. Difficulties with bonding, trust and touching • 1. Bonding with men • 2. Mistrust • 3. Touching and sexlife • 4. Bonding with the children • 5. Touching the children Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

11. 6. Recent situation and future expectation • 1. “I am what I am today” • 2. The will to live • 3. Permanent damage • 4. Giving up • 5. Much work left to the roots of the heart Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

12. Salka Valka ,, ,,Nei ég skal aldrei gleyma því að það varst þú sem eyðilagðir alt gott og hreint og fallegt sem ég átti í sálinni, með því að troðast eins og viðbjóðslegt kvikindi uppí rúmið okkar mömmu” … Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

13. Salka Valka (frh.) ,,sem var þá ekki annað en barn á tólfta ári, og ég er ekki búin að ná mér eftir það enn og næ mér aldrei meðan ég lifi, - þessi andstygð hefur ásótt mig í vöku og svefni altaf síðan, og þegar mig dreymir djöfulinn á næturnar þá ert það þú, þú, þú – þú ert djöfullinn sjálfur og ég lifi aldrei, aldrei glaðan dag fyren ég veit að þú ert dauður” (Halldór Laxnes, 1931, Salka Valka, bls. 166). Sigrún Sigurðardóttir

14. Aðgát skal höfð í nærveru sálar • Thank you Sigrún Sigurðardóttir