Living with baggage - what should I do?
Guys,
I have high-functioning autism - making it tough to work with others & work with a therapist. I'm also really smart (and sometimes smarty-pants) which can piss (especially insecure) people off.
I've been through a lot, I think.
!I've been emotionally abandoned, invalidated, abused, ignored & shamed by my parents. Can't make the diagnosis for them, but let's say Cluster B (potentially also on the spectrum..)!<
!I've been socially ostracised and bullied since kindergarten. As for many autists "rejection is the story of my life".!<
!I've been in an abusive relationships for 5 years (still am). I'm not sure how much I've been abusive back, but let's just say I've been isolated for 5 years, drained, sabotaged, used for getting help at work/university and I'm a fifth of a man I was...!<
!I've been in hard corporate environments very early on in my career which has left scars - part of teams that e.g. drive turnarounds, transformations.. At all my jobs & internships I've either had an abusive boss, or witnessed abuse by c-suite. I don't know what "Business As Usual" is.!<
!I've been in a lot of pain, but this month - I stopped. I am detached. I have also gained awareness to just how early I've had problems with my parents - and (hopefully) identifying core trauma stemming from emotional abandonment.!<
Is there hope for someone like me?
What forms of therapy could work?
1 year ago I've been through CBT, IFS (+ been in therapy all my life)... however I didn't really listen to the therapist + talking didn't help much.
Posted Jul 9, 2025, 11:21 PM UTC