Am I allowed to start being upset and getting help for emotional abuse 3 years after it happened?

You most certainly are and are worthy of and deserve to get the help you need to heal. For many people it takes a while to come to terms with and process the trauma of emotional abuse so a delayed reaction like yours is not at all abnormal.

There are different kinds of abuse and it has often been said that the one abuse that is harder to overcome and deal with is emotional abuse. With physical abuse a broken leg or arm or bruise heals, but with emotional abuse, its an unseen abuse, that wounds at a very deep level that takes time to heal. Sometimes it may never be completely possible for something to stop hurting, but the degree in which it does certainly can change.

Emotional abuse is not the same as physical abuse. Emotional abuse can leave unseen scars for a great deal of time. They can have triggers that draw them out. Another way they can suddenly come about is an aware-like awaking. An example of this would include the person not seeing the situation for what it was when it happened and even after. In that case, the person may never have gotten over what happened to them as they were, in their minds, getting over something else or nothing at all. At any rate, it is always okay to seek help. You do not need any "valid" reason. Getting help has been so negatively stigmatized over the years that many feel they have to hide it. Truth is, many psychologists and even psychiatrists have sought help. I actually feel that at least one "check up" should be done a year as a persons mental/emotional health should be kept in check as much as ones physical health is. Especially considering just how much a persons mental/emotional health can either negatively or positively affect a persons physical health and overall well-being.

Of course! You always deserve help no matter what. Granted, it is better and more helpful when someone can do something immediately after it happened. But, regardless, if you want the help, you absolutely deserve it and no matter what, you have every right to feel the way you do.

You are allowed to be upset and get help for any type of abuse, whenever you are able and willing to reach. Pain has no time limits, and neither does healing. You can always get better.

Yes. You are absolutely allowed to. It may have been a long time since it happened but it doesn't mean it'll stop affecting you emotionally and physically. Time is a healer, for sure. But not without efforts. Please try to get some help to overcome this, you don't have to be alone. Love. xX

yes of course you are, emotional abuse is after all emotional and you still feel it long after it happens.

Yes! There isn't any time limit on when you can get help. I've spoken with people who have gotten therapy after 30 years of coping with things on their own! :)

Of course, you are. There is no such definite time slot when it comes to abuses and emotions. I have always believed human emotions to be one of the most complex theories, even more complex than rocket science. Few people express them, few deny, few bury them deep down into their sub-conscious. When it's too much/overwhelming for the brain to handle, these erupt out like some volcano. I believe, that may be the case with you. May be you haven't 'dealt' with it timely, may be you have tried to bury them, may be it was a defence mechanism by your brain. Whatever the reason is, it is absolutely reasonable to be upset over it even after a long time of it happening. Never try to invalidate your emotions, just feel them and deal with it or let it go. Your choice, but invalidation of the emotions is harmful.

Yes of course! And it totally doesn't matter why it's been taking 3 years. Once my therapist told me that the soul just allows bad memories to come up when it is ready for them. It is never too late to start working on something and you will always have a right to get help. Nobody should be left alone.

Dear it is totally fine to feel like that. Many get abused but there are many people who see the effects of these abusing later on in their lives. It's perfectly normal. Do not feel awkward about this. And about getting help part, yes you could and you should. Wish you all the luck and happy life dear. :)

of course, sometimes we don't realise we were emotionally abused until long time after it happened; or we feel the result of this abuse after some time... so it's totally normal to seek help just now... And it's 100% ok to start being upset even 3 years after...

Absolutely. Unresolved trauma can affect you for years. You should definitely get help for anything that is causing you pain in your life. Whether that's trauma from your past or things that are happening right now, you never have to justify your feelings to anyone. You're allowed to feel anything that you feel!! I hope you get some help soon and find some peace (:

Of course!!! As you grow you realize how you were treated. And maybe your brain shut out the pain and is ready to work through the abuse. It might be a sign that your body is ready to face the problem head on and ready to get help.

Yes. I would leave it at "yes" but there is a 100 word minimum. It does not matter if the abuse happened today or ten years ago - you have a right to your feelings whatever they may be. I hope so much you can begin to heal and receive help.

we all heal at our own time so it's very important to acknowledge that you have emotional pain and start working through a plan to become happy and healthy.

The answer is Yes, you are allowed to start being upset and getting help for emotional 3 years after it happened. There is no necessity that you have to upset exactly after that happened. I felt myself that whenever something wrong happens I get numb to the situation later I feel upset.. So there are situation later on when you are triggered to do grief over a situation and are allowed to get help. No matter when, but in short there is nothing wrong to get help early or soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, you're allowed that sometimes it takes awhile to process it and accept it, everyone has different ''time zones'' for that sort of thing. I'm glad you recognized it in yourself

Yes definitely, When something traumatic happens to you, you have to deal with it/talk about it, even if it is a long time since it happened. Getting help would be the best thing that you could do for yourself.

Of course. You are your own expert and if you feel like you need to process what happened, kudos to you for being brave enough to want to talk about it. I recommend working with a licensed therapist on this.

If you are still suffering from the affects of what ever happened 3 years ago I don't see why not. If it's a current problem for you it shouldn't matter how long ago it was. People bottle up things for way longer than 3 years and depending on what happened 3 years might not be that much time to cope.

Yes!! Often we suppress our emotions and feelings as a way to protect ourselves from the things causing us pain. It is never to late let these out. If we keep them trapped we can never truly heal.

Most definitely. Sometimes it takes a lot of time before we realize we have been in an emotional abuse situation. Plus sometimes we carry guilt for allowing ourselves in that situation. Getting help at any time is the right time for you.

Asking for help is always allowed. Feeling abused has nothing to do with time and asking for help has to do with your feelings and when you feel ready to talk about it with another person.

Its never too late to get help for abuse. Though it may seem that you are already so far removed from the issue, the memories and emotions that can crop up as a result of the abuse, no matter how many years later, should be dealt with so that they can't harm you anymore.

Absolutely, yes. You are allowed to feel upset and seek help for a difficult experience even 50 years later. You may find it difficult to see the benefit in seeking help now since you have survived these three year, but it is never too late to begin healing. You deserve support no matter when you start feeling upset. Emotions don't follow a strict timeline. Being aware of how you feel now and considering getting help are very important steps that you have already made.

Yes sometimes I remember when my baby passed away. There was so many emotions from everyone and aside from this I had to arrange a funeral. It took me about that long and I woke up after having nightmares. I started having anxiety bad and I had to see a therapist and a dr.

of course, PTSD can take years before to appear. and getting help at this time is essential. it's all an honnor that you are able to accept you need it, and seeking for it, here on 7cups and/or any resource that can help you to pass through it!

Yeah sure...when something haunts you it doesn't get out of the minds but still trying to forget is best....

Of course. It’s never too late to become healthy again. Emotional abuse takes a while to heal from, but it can be healed.