Taking back control of your life after decades of being controlled can feel deeply unnatural at first.

You panic when making your own decisions.
You second-guess yourself constantly.
Am I right or wrong? Should I do it this way or that way? What if I get it wrong?

This isn’t failure — it’s a nervous system that has been conditioned to defer, appease, and stay safe. When control has been taken away for a long time, autonomy can initially feel threatening rather than freeing. That confusion is a known stage in recovery.

From a neuroscience and psychology perspective, your brain is relearning agency. The pathways that once prioritised survival and avoidance slowly give way to those that support choice, confidence, and self-trust. This takes time.

With the right support — safe people, therapy, and steady encouragement — the fog begins to lift. You start to test yourself again. Small decisions feel less frightening. Your inner voice becomes clearer. Your confidence grows quietly, not all at once, but step by step.

Yes, you will make mistakes.
Yes, you will get things wrong.
Yes, it may hurt at times.

But that is not damage — that is learning. That is life. That is the rich tapestry of being human, woven through experience, resilience, and growth.

Over time, what once felt impossible becomes familiar.
And one day, almost without noticing, you realise:
you trust yourself again.