Final answer:
Recovering from early childhood trauma involves seeking professional therapy and engaging in self-reflection, as these methods are supportive in addressing self-abandonment and self-blame. Professional therapy provides a safe environment for understanding trauma, while self-reflection facilitates personal growth and the process of healing, which is ongoing throughout life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Recovering a sense of self and identity after experiencing early childhood trauma is a complex and deeply personal journey. The preferred approach to address self-abandonment and self-blame is to seek professional therapy. A trained therapist can assist in navigating past traumas, providing a safe environment to explore and understand one's experiences. Engaging in self-reflection can also be beneficial, as it allows one to take stock of their feelings, behaviors, and the impact of their trauma. According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the main challenge for adolescents is to overcome role confusion to achieve identity. This task can be much harder if one's childhood is marred by trauma. Moreover, research by Briere and Conte (1993) underscores the prevalence of forgotten traumatic experiences among adults who were abused in childhood, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues for healing.
While some may suggest ignoring the past, it is clear from Erikson's stages of life that each stage, including older adulthood's challenge to overcome despair to achieve integrity, builds on resolving conflicts of previous stages. Hence, ignoring past traumas can impede progress and personal development. Embracing self-abandonment is certainly not advised; it is counterproductive to healing and reclaiming one's sense of self. The process of recovery is ongoing and lifelong, involving regular self-reflection, adjusting one's approach to life, and moving closer to the life one wishes to live.