Is past trauma and excuse for bad behavior?

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking here lately on some things in my life. And one thing I keep wondering;

Is someone’s past trauma an excuse for their bad behavior?

I’m sure you could argue that yes it can be. Maybe from tendencies of PTSD, or depression, anxiety. But I’m going to be honest here, from personal experience, I say no.

I started out life in neglect, and was then put into a place where I was verbally and emotionally abused until I was old enough to move out. And it didn’t stop there, I found myself, in two separate instances, of sexual abuse.

And let me tell you something. (I don’t mean to sound stuck up, or cocky.) I am a kind soul. I am loving, I am empathetic, I am a pleaser, so much so that it is to a fault. I get taken advantage of, seen as weak because I am sensitive to the feelings of others, and put others before myself.

I “allow” situations that make me extremely uncomfortable, and panicked, all because I don’t want to hurt someone else’s feelings, or be judged.

Now, is that behavior caused by trauma, absolutely. But do I use that as an excuse to be mean, or rude, or hurt others? No I do NOT.

So let me just ask you again, is trauma and excuse to be a shit person?

No.

~A