307. Childhood Trauma & PTSD W/ Desi Martin

We Are The Stigma

Trigger Warning: This episode deals w/Childhood sexual abuse, self-harm & suicide.
If you or someone you know may be dealing with childhood abuse, please call 1-800-422-4453
Help is always available. Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for 24hr support at 1-800-273-8255
We're back this week! It's episode 6 of Season 3, and we're getting profoundly raw and vulnerable with 20-year-old Desi Martin. We all know there is beauty to be found on the other side of our struggles, but what's even more vital than that truth is how many of us have not yet discovered that true beauty, and that is OKAY!! Our journey is JUST AS important as our destination, and Desi is a brilliant example of that.
Desi spent most of her adolescence burring the trauma of childhood sexual abuse; at 18 years old, her trauma would no longer stay hidden, and she was forced to face it head-on. Through addiction, suicide attempts, self-harm, and restrictive eating, Desi has continued to hang on. This episode is powerful, not simply for her resilience and strength to speak openly, but also because Desi is very much still in the trenches of mental illness and all that has come with her childhood abuse. She shares her story today in hopes of reminding others - you are not alone.
We cannot express how deeply grateful we are for this conversation, and we know you will be, too <3
In this episode, we discuss:
-childhood trauma and abuse
-addiction
-PTSD
-bipolar disorder
-eating disorder/restrictive eating
-how we learn to survive through the love of those around us
Desi is a 20 year-young woman from Colorado. She loves cows, art, and the friends who've continued to love her. She's a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and is working through her PTSD while going to school in hopes of becoming a therapist. Her goal is to one day help others as they navigate mental health challenges and walk through their childhood trauma.

• You can find Desi on Instagram @desirayhopemartin
• You can follow us @_wearethestigma on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
• You can follow Cody’s spiritual journey here on YouTube & Instagram
• Find Melissa on Instagram @_thepetitecactus

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***As always share with others, and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/