Thread by @drlouisehansen

So I was flying home this afternoon from my usual work in community with First Nations Australians. Reflecting on my short life of 37 years. Then I thought of a cool question to ask. What’s something funny, beautiful or quirky that you have experienced from trauma? 1/14

I’ll go first. So during my first episode of Psychosis I decided I had enough with civilisation. I sold all my belongings and bought one of those army back packs, a spear gun to catch fish, and some tins of food. Since I sold my car, I paid a stranger to drive me to near 2/14

top of Australia. A spot in the rainforest 🌴🌺 called Cape Tribulation. In my mind my life was set. I would live in the rainforest. I would finally be free and at peace. However, it was monsoon wet season ☔️💦🌨 and once I got there it was pouring down torrential rain 🤦‍♀️ 3/14

There were also a million mosquitos 🦟 trying to eat me. My ideal verse reality. I did not have a phone. I gave it away. However, I decided I wanted to let mum know I was safe. So I packed what little belongings I had. I started walking in the pouring rain towards a phone ☎️ 4/14

A police car 🚔 pulled up. 👮‍♂️ 👮‍♂️ asked if I was Louise. I said that’s me. They said your mum is looking for you. She is really worried. I told the police I am okay. I did my PhD on the neuroscience of emotion. I told them I am just having a break. The police said you are 27. 5/14

We cannot stop you. I was not hurting anyone or myself. They offered to give me a lift to see my mum. Mum was already in the area with my brother looking for me. So I agreed. When we got there, my mum was understandably hysterical. The police told mum I was a grown adult. 6/14

They cannot stop me. My mum did not like this response. Remember I have Psychosis. Although on the outside I seemed as cool as a sea cucumber 😎 Mums being mums. You can imagine my mum on the outside 😡 My brother even said to mum to calm down. 7/14

He said mum you are the one who looks crazy 😳 I thought this was funny 😏 (Sorry mum 😬) Thankfully, I ended up bursting into tears. 😭 I told the police 👮‍♂️👮‍♀️ I actually am very unwell. 🤯 I think I need to go to hospital 🤕 The rest is history. 8/14

While this was certainly not funny at the time 😬 ten years later, this story makes me smile 🙂 I find it fascinating the places trauma can take us. Yes, some are too terrifying. Some more triggering than others. However, I have equally experienced much beauty from trauma. 9/14

As a patient with other patients in hospital. I never laughed so much in my life. We all felt like we were the naughty kids. The rejects from society. There was always something interesting happening in each day in hospital. Crisis after crisis. Break down after break down. 10/14

Yet I also never felt so safe in my life. None of us had any desire to judge, to fix, or to change one another. We all just accepted and supported each other. Crisis after crisis. Break down after break down. Of course, usually in the smoking section. 11/14

It is easy to fall into the trap of seeing trauma as something that is all bad. However, my life has been enriched from experiencing trauma. I have had many beautiful experiences that I know I would never have had if I did not experience trauma. 12/14

I have experienced so many different worlds that I would never have never known if I did not have trauma. So this brings me back to my question. What’s something funny, or beautiful, quirky for you as a result of having trauma? 13/14

Dr Louise Hansen
Psychologist
PhD in Psychology
Human Rights Activist

#HealingTrauma #Justice4Australia #WeAllBelong

💜🕊

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