--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The abused child goes on living within…" description: "\"The abused child goes on living within those who have survived such torture, a torture that ended with total repression. They live with the darkness of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/alice-miller-3713_abused_the-abused-child-goes-on-living-within-t_1614133.png" --- # The abused child goes on living within those who have… ![“The abused child goes on living within those who have survived such torture, a torture that ended with total repression. They live with the darkness of fear, oppression, and threats. When all its attempts to move the adult to heed its story have failed, it resorts to the language of symptoms to…” quote by Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/alice-miller-3713_abused_the-abused-child-goes-on-living-within-t_1614133.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/alice-miller-3713_abused_the-abused-child-goes-on-living-within-t_1614133.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/alice-miller-3713_abused_the-abused-child-goes-on-living-within-t_1614133.png) > “The abused child goes on living within those who have survived such torture, a torture that ended with total repression. They live with the darkness of fear, oppression, and threats. When all its attempts to move the adult to heed its story have failed, it resorts to the language of symptoms to make itself heard. Enter addiction, psychosis, criminality.” [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trauma from childhood abuse can persist into adulthood, manifesting as fear, oppression, and harmful behaviors when the original pain is ignored. **In simple terms:** Unresolved childhood abuse can cause adult suffering. Key Takeaway Address early trauma to prevent later harm. Themes trauma psychology addiction crime mental health Mood somber reflective hopeful Type diagnostic cautionary inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - counseling - support groups - rehabilitation - preventive education Key Concepts repression symptom expression psychosis addiction criminality Questions to Reflect On - How might acknowledging past abuse change current behavior? - What support can help break the cycle of trauma? A Different Perspective Healing requires confronting, not suppressing, the original trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abused children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abused-children/) [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Criminality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminality/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Psychosis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychosis/) [Repression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repression/) [Resorts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resorts/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) ## Related quotes > [You know all that sympathy that you feel for an abused child who suffers without a good mom or dad to love and care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/you-know-all-that-sympathy-that-you-feel-for-an-abused-child-who/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [Everyone is an abused child, if you think about what governments do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/everyone-is-an-abused-child-if-you-think-about-what-governments-do/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [The abused children are alone with their suffering, not only within the family, but also within themselves. They cannot crate a place in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-abused-children-are-alone-with-their-suffering-not-only-within/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Polanski was an abused child. And he flew too near to the sun too quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/polanski-was-an-abused-child-and-he-flew-too-near-to-the-sun-too/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [“Imagine Cara caring enough to make a police report about an abused child knowing the information will likely be unwelcome to the police, enraging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-becker-gavin/imagine-cara-caring-enough-to-make-a-police-report-about-an-abused/) de Becker, Gavin > [“When we learn to recognize the unique quality of Memory-Dreams, we are empowered. The abused child within us is using them to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-mcelvaney/when-we-learn-to-recognize-the-unique-quality-of-memory-dreams-we-are/) [Jeanne McElvaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-mcelvaney/) > [“There are many differing viewpoints on nature versus nurture, and there are those who believe that bad behavior can be excused and understood if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-altea/there-are-many-differing-viewpoints-on-nature-versus-nurture-and/) [Rosemary Altea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-altea/) > [“An abused child never feels safe, growing up. The wrong that this child has gone through can never be seen or easily imagined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/an-abused-child-never-feels-safe-growing-up-the-wrong-that-this-child/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Maybe someone was abused as a child. May be they were having a bad day. May be they're running away from something and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/maybe-someone-was-abused-as-a-child-may-be-they-were-having-a-bad-day/) Senoraroy > [We're not at a point in time to be taking chances with children and young people in the church. The Holy Father himself said...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mahony/we-re-not-at-a-point-in-time-to-be-taking-chances-with-children-and/) [Roger Mahony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mahony/) > [I was angry about the fact that my father would beat my mother on a daily basis, that my mother would take it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-james/i-was-angry-about-the-fact-that-my-father-would-beat-my-mother-on-a/) [Rick James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-james/) > [Many abused children cling to the hope that growing up will bring escape and freedom. But the personality formed in an environment of coercive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/many-abused-children-cling-to-the-hope-that-growing-up-will-bring/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [“Ninety-six per cent of juvenile prostitutes are fugitives from abusive domestic situations; 66 per cent began working before they turned 16. (Prostitution is their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonella-gambotto-burke/ninety-six-per-cent-of-juvenile-prostitutes-are-fugitives-from/) [Antonella Gambotto-Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonella-gambotto-burke/) > [Im sick of my abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/im-sick-of-my-abuse/) Slowly\_fading > [“I'm still not sure if I was a victim or not... and if I was, who was my abuser?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskay-teel/i-m-still-not-sure-if-i-was-a-victim-or-not-and-if-i-was-who-was-my/) Eskay Teel ## More by Alice Miller > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Wherever I look, I see signs of the commandment to honor one's parents and nowhere of a commandment that calls for the respect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/wherever-i-look-i-see-signs-of-the-commandment-to-honor-one-s-parents/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [The art of not experiencing feelings. A child can experience her feelings only when there is somebody there who accepts her fully, understands her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-art-of-not-experiencing-feelings-a-child-can-experience-her/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Disrespect is the weapon of the weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/disrespect-is-the-weapon-of-the-weak/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“Even if one ultimately risks losing all contact with oneself and merely functioning as a mask, an "as if" personality, there are always drugs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/even-if-one-ultimately-risks-losing-all-contact-with-oneself-and/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“Thus he spent his whole life searching for his own truth, but it remained hidden to him because he had learned at a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/thus-he-spent-his-whole-life-searching-for-his-own-truth-but-it/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“Most people do exactly the opposite. Without realizing that the past is constantly determining their present actions, they avoid learning anything about their history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/most-people-do-exactly-the-opposite-without-realizing-that-the-past/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [People who, as children, were intellectually far beyond their parents and therefore admired by them, but who also therefore had to solve their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/people-who-as-children-were-intellectually-far-beyond-their-parents/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Parents are indeed capable of routinely torturing their children without anyone interceding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/parents-are-indeed-capable-of-routinely-torturing-their-children/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Ultimately the body will rebel. Even if it can be temporarily pacified with the help of drugs, cigarettes or medicine, it usually has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/ultimately-the-body-will-rebel-even-if-it-can-be-temporarily-pacified/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [The child has a primary need to be regarded and respected as the person he really is at any given time, and as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-child-has-a-primary-need-to-be-regarded-and-respected-as-the/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [For some years now, there has been proof that the devastating effects of the traumatization of children take their inevitable tollon society--a fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/for-some-years-now-there-has-been-proof-that-the-devastating-effects/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“The older we get, the more difficult it is to find other people who can give us the love our parents denied us. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-older-we-get-the-more-difficult-it-is-to-find-other-people-who/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [It is very difficult for people to believe the simple fact that every persecutor was once a victim. Yet it should be very obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/it-is-very-difficult-for-people-to-believe-the-simple-fact-that-every/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [We don't yet know, above all, what the world might be like if children were to grow up without being subjected to humiliation, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/we-don-t-yet-know-above-all-what-the-world-might-be-like-if-children/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) [Explore all 120 Alice Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) ## More Abused quotes > [One of the most abused country on earth is Mexico. The marketing spills over the border, and people are persuaded to eat food that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-patel/one-of-the-most-abused-country-on-earth-is-mexico-the-marketing/) [Raj Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-patel/) > [“Too many cases thrown out of court, too much pop-psycho crap, satanic bullshit... if you FEEL you've been abused, you HAVE been!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kellerman/too-many-cases-thrown-out-of-court-too-much-pop-psycho-crap-satanic/) [Jonathan Kellerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kellerman/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“I used to teach at an abused children's home. I told the kids, "You all have a manure pile of memories. Nothing you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-o-donnell/i-used-to-teach-at-an-abused-children-s-home-i-told-the-kids-you-all/) [Rebecca O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-o-donnell/) > [Early on in my life, I had a broken soul. I was abused by my father, abandoned by my mother and ended up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/early-on-in-my-life-i-had-a-broken-soul-i-was-abused-by-my-father/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“I'm 80% done with The Darker Side of Trey : "It was a pitiful truth. That people seemed unwilling to see the abused, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-spears/i-m-80-done-with-the-darker-side-of-trey-it-was-a-pitiful-truth-that/) Tara Spears > [Praise makes me humble, but when I am abused, I know that I have touched the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyles-brandreth/praise-makes-me-humble-but-when-i-am-abused-i-know-that-i-have/) [Gyles Brandreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyles-brandreth/) > [I’ve abused myself a lot over the years. But my voice is still intact – really, it’s better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/i-ve-abused-myself-a-lot-over-the-years-but-my-voice-is-still-intact/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [I've been chased. I've been pushed. I've been screamed at. I've been verbally abused. I've been afraid for my safety. But I did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/i-ve-been-chased-i-ve-been-pushed-i-ve-been-screamed-at-i-ve-been/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [“The book is open, spine cracked, abused in a way no one with respect for paper should ever do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-swyler/the-book-is-open-spine-cracked-abused-in-a-way-no-one-with-respect/) [Erika Swyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-swyler/) > [I ask my friend -what is your story?- because I want to give the answer of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ask-my-friend-what-is-your-story-because-i-want-to-give-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people have never been loved, they've only been disrespected, used, cheated on, abused and hurt that's why they don't trust anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/some-people-have-never-been-loved-they-ve-only-been-disrespected-used/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The term 'doctor' has been so abused lately! I didn't live in a hospital for 10 years so that term could be bastardized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-pinsky/the-term-doctor-has-been-so-abused-lately-i-didn-t-live-in-a-hospital/) [Drew Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-pinsky/) > [“Abuse ambushed my life, I could not love myself truly and could never have a healthy relationship, they were either abused or completely impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abuse-ambushed-my-life-i-could-not-love-myself-truly-and-could-never/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst...They are for nothing but to inspire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/books-are-the-best-of-things-well-used-abused-among-the-worst-they/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) Browse all 293 Abused quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The abused child goes on living within those who have survived such torture, a torture that ended with total repression. 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