Everyone experiences trauma differently. What may significantly affect one person may have little effect on another. For some people, trauma can affect every aspect of their lives. It can turn daily activities into strenuous and stressful events. Trauma can also significantly affect the relationships we have. When we begin to work through our trauma, we can begin to better understand how it affects our lives and what the best treatment is for us. Here are a couple of ways that trauma can complicate and affect our relationships.
Trauma Bonding
Trauma bonding happens when a person becomes obsessed with a dysfunctional relationship without caring about how it negatively affects them. Trauma bonding can happen quite often to someone who has been abused or traumatized. They often become addicted to the relationship with the person who abused them.
Codependent Relationships
Another type of relationship that is unhealthy is a codependent one. In a codependent relationship, one person will enable the other person’s irresponsible behavior, perhaps to avoid being alone. Rather than looking at their own needs and behaviors, the codependent person will go to any lengths to accommodate their partner.
Breaking Free
Sometimes we do not fully see the dysfunction or unhealthy nature of our relationships. We can get so caught up in trying to make relationships work that we forget that we must also focus on ourselves and our mental health. Unhealthy relationships can affect our overall well-being and mental health.
If you find yourself scared to break free from unhealthy relationships, try to surround yourself with a strong support system. Have people around you that you can talk with or lean on through those hard moments. Often the most challenging part of breaking free from a relationship is to change the routine that we have become so accustomed to. Try to change up your routine, do new things, and see new people. You may be surprised how great you feel once you have overcome those first few hurdles.
Trauma can affect every aspect of our lives if we do not learn the tools needed to work through it. Relationships, in particular, can be greatly affected by our past. We may find ourselves in codependent relationships or trauma bonded to someone. These relationships can be dangerous because they may stifle growth and keep us in unhealthy or dangerous situations. Here at The Guest House, we understand that facing trauma is scary and overwhelming. It is even more stressful when that trauma is accompanied by other mental health struggles or addiction. We are here to help. Call us today to learn more about the different treatment options available at (855) 483-7800.