Interpret “emotionally damaged” in any way that makes sense to you , and put yourself (if you like) in one of these fairly broad categories:
Pretty damaged, nearly completely broken
More damaged than not
Damaged but still functional, at about equal levels
Some damage, but pretty functional
Very little damage, or mostly repaired (therapy, etc.)
Feel free to share as much or as little as you want about how and why you are rating yourself this way. I’ll start by saying that I have some damage but I’m pretty functional. It would be worse except for the therapy I went through back in my early 40s.
I am just eff-ing weird. I am in a few catagories, nothing dramatic, really. I struggle with a few phobias, mainly agoaphobia. I work on it everyday now. I am empty nested so I am not needed anywhere out of my home. I make myself volunteer and join in some things. It’s not easy. I would prefer staying out of the public. Recently germs have begun to bother me. I get rather manic thinking about it. I want to wash and wash.
The poll excludes those who do not feel damaged at all. That hardly seems irrelevant to the question being asked. Of course there also is not an option for “completely and irretrievably broken” either …
Generally I don’t think of myself as emotionally damaged hardly at all. I’m a little beat down by the world, but that’s circumstantial more than personal. I have had therapy at various times, which can be very helpful, and I do think back to the techniques I learned there to boost myself up again whenever I feel some sadness coming.
I voted for Little damage, or mostly repaired (therapy, etc.) My emotional damage comes from a troubled relationship with my mom (so cliche, I know) and had been mostly resolved.
My lack of functionality, when it comes up, has nothing to do with emotional damage.
I would say I’m functional in terms of food/clothing/shelter and friendships, but anything more substantial than that eludes me. Surviving, but not thriving.
I am functional in some ways. I have struggled with so many issues my whole life and thought I was just broken and weird. I was molested by my father as a kid and I thought that was probably my main issue. I tried for years to get help, and got so many labels that didn’t quite explain what was going on in my head. And I have so many weird quirks and phobias and issues, I struggle to do things most adults my age mastered around age 15. I can’t get myself to go to a doctor or dentist. I set out for job interviews and end up driving past my appointment, panicking, and going home defeated. But then I also did really good as a parent, at least so far, for what I have going on. My girls are turning out pretty awesome so that’s a good thing.
A little over a year ago I got a preliminary diagnosis of autism (suggested by my daughter’s OT after I talked about my daughter and I having similar issues and me not knowing if her problem was autism or me being a bad example of how to human) and everything started making a whole hell of a lot more sense. Because I don’t have insurance and to get a full dx would have cost thousands of dollars I’ve just tried to learn from my daughter’s therapists and I’ve joined some groups where I’ve learned so much about how to move forward. I’ve learned about executive function. I see how I have some pretty bad sensory issues. I was in CLUE as a kid, and I apparently have an exceptionally high IQ but I struggle to remember right from left. I have always had twitches and auditory defensiveness. People love me but I struggle to bond. I want relationships but people really, really have to pursue me because I don’t mean to, but I push people away. I don’t answer messages. I forget to call people back. I’m super warm and loving and a good friend when people are with me but I go off in my own world when they’re not present. My brother gets mad at me because I never call. I just get involved with whatever I’m working on and I forget everyone else exists outside this house. And I really, really struggle to leave the house. It’s like being underwater. I am counting the minutes until I’m back home and I really hate that. It’s just a lot of little things like that I never really thought about other than my weird and embarrassing quirks.
So anyway, I struggle to be functional in the accepted way that adults should function. But lately I’ve been feeling pretty okay about myself and I think that can be pretty functional in itself.
Considering my intellectual capabilities and my horrendous childhood, the only thing that kept me from becoming a serial killer is being female. I function, but not at the level someone with my IQ and abilities should be.
Things with my mother and all call it super-glued and duct-taped. But even with all that I do pretty good. Call it equal with me being higher-functioning.
Yeah, I’m screwed up. I have OCD, Bipolar II, and a couple phobias that required therapy for me to be at least a little ok with them. I’ve been in abusive relationships, was abused as a kid, all that jazz. I’m functional, but I’m still a mess.
Yes, the question is not intended for outliers. However, coming in to a thread that asks about the level of emotional/mental damage one lives with to trumpet “Hah, I’m NOT AT ALL DAMAGED UNLIKE THE REST OF YOU FREAKS” is not helpful and borders on offensive and shows a lack of emotional IQ that might very likely indicate a level of damage and denial that’s quantifiable. Plus, threadshit. Checking the “Polls cannot capture me” option and moving on is the least obnoxious choice.
The poll assumes that anyone who is completely disabled emotionally probably would not be able to answer a poll. And it assumed that, as Shodan suggests, everyone is damaged at least a little. I’m glad to see so many in the least damaged category.
I had a couple of rough years a while back, but exercise, social engagement and meditation, as well as just getting better at life have improved things to the point where I can choose “little damage”.