Most of us swallow down
the silent screams and just carry on.
[But] It’s not conducive to a picture
perfect personal or professional life…
to have a raging meltdown
– Where Do the Silent Screams Go?*

∞∞∞

from Walk Off the Earth
with Fire in My Soul

∞∞∞

Sometimes, depression from repressed pain
can be eliminated through the scream.
– Dr. Arthur Janov, Primal Scream

SCREAM

Anonymous Comment
Over a year ago, I escaped a sexual assault, but not by much. He still managed to take something away from me, that I just can’t seem to get back. I’m depressed all the time; like I’m having a nervous breakdown, and I even have thoughts of ending my life. Counseling hasn’t managed to beat it, leaving me with no idea how to shake my attacker. – He’s still got me 

Within a primal scream, you were released from the attack;
and with the burst of an imagined gunshot sound,
you blew away the memory of your attacker.
– When the Abuse Stops

Response: Dear U Got Us
Counseling is a tool, and while it works alone for some, for many it is more effective when part of an overall plan. Support groups are most helpful. Selecting the appropriate group will surround you with people who have gone through the same or quite similar aggression, and are at varying stages in conquering the all-consuming depression.

Become active as much as you can. Volunteer to feed the hungry, take a class at the local college. Filling your mind with positive, self-supportive devices, concentrating on building memories with the loved ones around you, and if you are a person of faith, reach for it now, it goes a long way. Time will also contribute to diminishing this scarring portion of your life. But always know, your life is precious and valued and has meaning, defined well beyond the cruelty of the attacker. Please, print your question and show it to someone you trust. Someone(s) who will recognize the urgency of your need to talk and your cry for help.

In the words of Skylar Liberty Rose, “Let every difficult moment find a place where it can breathe without restriction.”  And do not hesitate nor be ashamed to scream away the pain.

— Kendall F. Person

emoticons courtesy of Alexas Fotus
*Positively Positive: Depression or Suppression?
Where Do the Silent Screams Go?
(related)
Psychology Today: Primal Scream Therapy