Thank you for highlighting this, it is so important. I’m constantly told to practice mindfulness, both my well-intentioned but misguided friends and by (dangerous) clinicians. It is maddening, because for someone who lives with constant somatic reminders of trauma, being alone in my body and mind *is not safe.*

There are some great pieces about the co-option of mindfulness by capitalism, insofar as mindfulness is now frequently used in corporate contexts and with the general goal of being “productive.” I’m always reminded of this when I relay that my CPTSD can render me non-functional and the response is to be mindful. Imagine living in a world where not only was there less trauma, but the impacts of said trauma were given the respect they deserve.

Sadly, we aren’t there (yet), and we do need to work to survive. Within that context, we must protect ourselves, and sometimes that looks like choosing not to disclose.