I'm so depressed but also puzzled. I am a generally happy, very attractive gal of 19. I was home from college for the Thanksgiving holidays and on Saturday afternoon I returned home from shopping to an almost empty house. My parents and younger sister were gone for the day but two men were burglarizing the house. They obviously heard me coming because when I stepped in they grabbed me and began tying me up. They bound me, gagged me and left me face down and hogtied on the livingroom floor. I was tied to tightly to get loose and had to wait hours for my parents to come home and find me.
    I was thankfully unhurt and surprisingly not very scared, just angry. However from the moment I realized I couldn't free myself I became engulfed with embarrassment and depression. Having my parents and sister see me so helpless was absolutely humiliating. This feeling persists. I keep playing the ordeal out in my mind and cringing about how ridiculous I must have looked. I can't bring myself to discuss it with family or friends because I don't want them to know how embarrassing it was. Why would I feel this way over something I couldn't help, and how can I stop myself from dwelling on this and feeling eternally bound and gagged.

Please be gentle with yourself.  You were severely traumatized by this assault.  Traumatic events effect people differently.  Your feelings are valid and your concerns are valid.  I encourage you to seek support from a mental health professional to give you answers to your important questions of why do I feel this way and how can I stop from dwelling on this event.

If you are an eligible UAA Student you may call the Student Health and Counseling Center to set up a screening appointment; the number is 786-4040.