The long-term trauma. I’m no longer broke and no longer homeless but I can’t shake the instinct to eat as much as I can whenever free food is available, even though these days I know where my next meal is coming from. Same with a lot of other behaviors that were helpful when I was destitute but harmful now I’m not.
Definitely this. When things break it makes me feel like I’m going to have a full blown panic attack, even though I’m now able to fix it. Same with wasting food. It makes me feel like I’m going to cry if I have to throw leftovers away. I’m also psychotic about saving money now. I spend money as if I was still living paycheck to paycheck even though I’m not and then save the rest of it.
The long-term trauma. I’m no longer broke and no longer homeless but I can’t shake the instinct to eat as much as I can whenever free food is available, even though these days I know where my next meal is coming from. Same with a lot of other behaviors that were helpful when I was destitute but harmful now I’m not.
Definitely this. When things break it makes me feel like I’m going to have a full blown panic attack, even though I’m now able to fix it. Same with wasting food. It makes me feel like I’m going to cry if I have to throw leftovers away. I’m also psychotic about saving money now. I spend money as if I was still living paycheck to paycheck even though I’m not and then save the rest of it.