Education & Information

Symptoms commonly experienced by adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  Many of these symptoms may be experienced by survivors of any form of abuse.It is important to remember that the list below is symptoms–not evidence that childhood abuse occurred.

•  Fears or expectation of an early death
• Intolerance of or constant search for intimacy
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Gastronintestinal symptoms/agitation
• Eating disorders
• Sleep disorders
• Chronic physical discomfort with no verifiable medical cause
• Unwanted pregnancy
• Character issues: lying, stealing, deception, running away
• Addiction
• Chronic headache/back pain
• Asthma and other respiratory problems
• Depression and Anxiety
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Dissociation
• Sexual dysfunction
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts
• Sexual avoidance or compulsion
• Self-Injury
• Lack of self-care/physically, emotionally, or mentally
• Feeling abandonment or betrayal by God
• Feelings of inadequacy or inferiority

A list of common symptoms experienced by adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse  

• Symptoms of Trauma—feelings of fear, chronic agitation, anxiety, nightmares, night sweats, multiple personalities, feeling of being disconnected from your body, numbing of areas of the body
• Esteem Issues—self contempt or contempt for others, self-doubt, blaming self or others, shame
• Self-Sabotage—self-injury, undermining potential success in various areas of life
• Sexual Problems—avoiding sex or becoming promiscuous, prostitution, flashbacks to past abusive experiences during sexual contact, pain or numbing during intimacy, feelings of guilt or shame in marital sex, numbing during intimacy, resentment of sexual partner.
• Social Alienation—feeling marginalized, stigmatized, not accepted or different from others. Developing negative coping mechanisms that alienate others or destroy relationships.
• Relational Problems—blaming, mistrusting, poor communication skills, over-reacting or withdrawal, intimacy issues.