Any advice about trauma and friendships?
TW: rape/sexual assault
I was raped by my ex bf. It was years of sexual coercion that I will never get back. I'm in my last year of college and I'm struggling more than ever. My ex and I have the friend group, and I'm currently living with some of those friends. The ones I live with weren't that close to my ex, but now they are since he lives with more of their friends. The girl that invited me to live with her turned out to be a terrible friend (like leaving me at the bar when I was in the bathroom and sabotaging me with a man she encouraged me to talk to). She wasn't a friend of my ex's which is why I said yes to living with her/them. We got along great before she invited me to be a roommate. But it didn't work out. Now I'm stuck in a really triggering spot. I can't even tell them I was raped because I don't know if they'll believe me, and I won't be able to handle it if they don't. I don't know if it would even change anything.
I don't have any other friends since the relationship was so toxic, and this was supposed to be a step to meet new people. I just feel so lonely and loserish. And it sucks that my ex gets to do whatever he wants and I have to pick up the pieces. He even went so far as to tell others not to invite me out, but would be totally fine coming to my apartment to hang with my roommates. Like I couldn't even come out of my room because I felt so unwanted and uncomfortable.
At events we host, he gets invited. But at events he and his roommates host, I don't even know about it. It just sucks. I've even made it clear that I don't want anything to do with him, but so far that only counts for things at his place. Plus my roommates will mention him, like "oh I'm going to (friends) house. Aka your ex's since he lives there too". Like c'mon I gathered that. I get they don't know all the context but idk. It still hurts.
Ig I just wanted to kinda vent and get some advice. I know I'm in a terrible spot rn, I'm going to therapy and am trying to focus on healing. It's hard to get out and make friends because I just haven't been great at that ig. I have a new chronic illness that I just got diagnosed with, which makes it hard to leave the house. I was planning on joining some clubs this semester but I couldn't because of my health. And obviously my mental struggles are through the roof. I feel like I'm doing everything I can, but I'm stuck.
Has anyone else struggled with friends after bad relationship? Is there anything that helped? Does it actually get better at some point? Thanks in advance.
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