Maybe you know someone who is dealing with PTSD from an emotionally damaging relationship.
Or maybe you are coping up with these consequences.
PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that affects your mental health. It is usually caused by a dreadful, lifechanging event.
However, PTSD can also be triggered by being in an emotionally damaging relationship.
Suchlike relationships are the ones where one of the partners is mentally abusing the other. The damaged partner often can’t realize how bad he or she has been treated because they are too emotionally dependent to see it. Perhaps you can relate to the following situation.
At first, everything was lovely. You and your partner shared wonderful moments and you had dreams about your future together. They used to pay attention to every little detail and this made you feel exceptional. They were almost perfect. Until they start losing interest in your relationship.
In the beginning, you were noticing some slight changes.
They no longer treated you as you were special. But you didn’t want to believe that the magic was gone, so you ignored all the red flags. You couldn’t see that the person you fell in love with is not there anymore. This magnetic, charming person who once made you laugh, now hardly ever looks at you. They have completely changed their attitude towards you.
However, you were blinded by the feelings you had for them at the beginning. Maybe that’s why you couldn’t see the signs. Somehow you couldn’t believe that the spark was gone. You were still holding on to the dreamy supportive person they were before.
In reality, this person doesn’t exist anymore. Your partner is now treating you like one of their possessions. They even tend to make some offensive remarks about your looks or your friends. This is making you feel worthless and vulnerable. You become so emotionally dependent on them, that you forget what it feels like to be happy without them.
Eventually, you realize that you no longer feel good in your relationship. You decide to share this with your partner but they don’t even want to listen. They turn the situation around and in the end, you are the one who is failing your relationship. Unfortunately, you start to believe them and you lose all of your self-esteem. But you take it all because you love them, right?
The toxic behavior your partner has is seriously harming your mental health. You are frequently experiencing anxiety attacks and you’ve never been so stressed before. This whole relationship is traumatizing you. Sadly, they have already damaged you so much that even if you think of leaving them, you quickly kill those thoughts because you would feel incomplete without them in your life. But still, every harsh word and every judgemental look they give you feels like a hundred knives stabbing your heart.
Sooner or later you find the courage to end this emotionally damaging relationship. Now you have to deal with PTSD.
This whole time you were treated badly, you were scared to raise your voice or even have your own opinion. You freed yourself from this but now you feel like your life is empty. This often results in mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Your heart was deeply wounded and now you have to find the strength to recover.
Although PTSD is not something you can get easily rid of, there are a few things you should remember in order to overcome it effectively. With ending your abusive relationship, you did the first step towards healing. What you need to do now is to give yourself time.
There will be times when you’d feel lonely and insecure. In those times remind yourself that you are worthy of love and you don’t need anyone’s validation. Try to spend more time with the people who are truly there and appreciate you for who you are. Learn how to love yourself and soon you will start to feel good again.
