Minimizing Trauma
One thing I didn't know I did until recently is minimizing my traumatic experiences. I grew up with a lot of comments about how everyone experiences and things and it's just part of life. Or comments about how the past should stay in the past and not effect me now. Like trauma doesn't effect people. My experiences can't be so bad.
I think the first time I really noticed that my experiences weren't normal was in a creative writing class. We had to write a poem about a flashbulb memory. I wrote mine about a really bad night I had with my dad and when I read it allowed the class commented on how heavy of a poem it was and they couldn't believe I had to experience that. I had completely normalized my experiences. And doing so in the long run made my ptsd symptoms worse as an adult and I had a period where the fear and trauma instincts took over and I almost completely lost control of my life. It was scary.
Has anyone else experienced minimizing and normalizing their trauma? What was your experience?
Minimizing, normalizing and even neutralizing trauma is a very difficult process to undergo. The way I see it is that if it can't be minimized, it can be neutralized because if it's so BIG in your life, that means since it holds large importance, you will be able to figure out how to make it less "negative" in the now. I support a few members who have experienced severe trauma (and I'm happy to support anyone else who reaches out!) and I have found that my listening style which incorporates flipping thoughts and positive recovery key to clarifying trauma and resolving the recurring negative thoughts. 
@InvaderStitch - Hi Stitch!
I 'normalized' a lot of what happened for/to my brother and I for quite a long time. I didn't ever really talk about "that part of 7th grade" to anyone, well no one my age. My 7th grade teachers knew because Mom and Dad told them. I told one of my closest friends in high school; I think that was the first time I'd told any one of my peers. Somewhere in there from age about 4 til age 17 (very close to 18), I did not talk with anyone about how I was realizing that my house, our rules, my personal experiences, etc were very NOT normal. Not everyone had these or similar things happen to them at home or within their own family. So therefore now I have all these stupid diagnoses - they are good to know about, but I HATE being given labels and stuck in a box. I want to be free and do my own thing! And I wish the memories would simply take a hike!!! and then conveniently get lost on the way back to me. There are many wishes I have regarding the past and how it's brought itself (?) into the future = now. Some of these wishes can no longer happen, others could. Anyway, I feel as though I'm rambling. But yes, I/we/someone rationalized and normalized what was going on in my family. I get what you're saying, dear. Platy