Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2641

Tonight's special guest is Lindsay Songer from Kentucky, whose mother was sexually abused by her mother’s second husband from the age of four to eighteen. "Her PTSD is what I had to deal with during my early years of development until I left home at age 17," Lindsay reports. "This meant that all my childhood and adolescent growth was hindered by mental and emotional second hand trauma." She explains, "My first memory of being emotionally abused by my mother was when she homeschooled me in second grade." She says of her mother, "She was really depressed and slept all the time which made me feel alone and neglected even though I received a lot of negative attention. She spanked me for not doing schoolwork right at times and this made me scared of her. It also appeared she wanted me to be a child prodigy." Childhood was hard. "I felt anxiety, anger, resentment, rebellious, bad attitude, I felt like I was being indoctrinated at times when my mom made me do and say things over and over again as she tried to live vicariously through me." Lindsay goes on, "I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and I have PTSD. I still have bad dreams and certain situations I encounter remind me of my abuse, and I still have to watch for triggers when my mom texts me religious stuff." And today? "I am very busy raising two children. I am a Marine Vet and I consider this part of my life as giving me strength to cope and stay busy not having to deal with my past. I work as a nurse in the Operating Room at a hospital. I have managed an inpatient behavioral health unit dealing with mania, psychosis and detoxing from alcohol and drugs."