What is Trauma Bonding?

A trauma bond is an emotional attachment that is formed to another person, often an abuser, that makes it difficult for this person to separate themselves from their source of trauma. These bonds can overtake your emotions and lead to poor decision making. Sometimes, the effects of trauma bonding can last long after you have separated yourself from the relationship, so it’s important to know the signs of these unhealthy attachments and how to begin to separate yourself from the emotional connection.  

What Causes a Trauma Bond?

Trauma bonds occur when an abused person develops affection for their abuser, creating an emotional connection that is difficult to break. Despite the poor treatment of the abused person, they exhibit sympathy for the person causing them harm and can try to empathize or rationalize their behavior. Trauma bonding can occur in situations involving:

• Abuse (child, domestic, or elder)
• Sexual abuse or exploitation
• Kidnapping
• Religious trauma
• Cult involvement

Not everyone who experiences one of these situations will develop an unhealthy attachment to the perpetrator, or perpetrators, of the trauma, but there are environmental factors that can make you more susceptible to developing emotional attachments to your abuser. Some of the most common influential factors are survival instincts, dependence, and cycles of abuse. 

If you find yourself in a life-threatening situation, such as a kidnapping or abusive relationship, you may develop an emotional bond as a way to protect yourself. By showing the abuser some form of affection, the abused may feel they are protecting themselves from more severe abusive situations and potentially save their life. This emotional attachment can remain even after you have removed yourself from the situation, creating a continuing trauma bond. 

Similarly, in harmful relationships or communities, you could develop a dependence on the person or leaders, causing uncertainty when you leave the situation. Dependence on another person or community to meet your needs, especially if they did not allow you to practice any type of independence, can leave you with an unhealthy attachment to them and an inability to act on your own. Finally, if you have experienced abuse previously, you are more likely to accept the behaviors and can develop a trauma bond because the abuse is “normal” based on your past experiences. This can lead to a continuing cycle of abuse where these unhealthy behaviors and attachments are accepted. 

Trauma Bonding: Warning Signs and Symptoms

Recognizing a trauma bond is an important first step in helping yourself or someone you love who may have developed an unhealthy attachment to an abusive person or community. Some signs of these attachments include: 

• Defensiveness when someone tries to intervene
• Lack of recognition of the abuse
• Justification of abusive behaviors
• Distancing from support systems
• Being reluctant or unwilling to leave an abusive environment
• A desire to return to the abusive environment after leaving

Breaking the Bond

Once the person has left an abusive situation, the trauma bond can remain. To help someone who has developed an emotional bond begin to separate themselves emotionally from their abuser, you can begin by providing them with facts about their past situation. Often, it’s helpful to note the differences you see between what a healthy relationship is and what this person has experienced. Bringing their own desires in and how those were not being met can also be effective. Encourage them to spend time focusing on positive interactions and self-care and seek out healthy relationships as they move forward.

There will often be fear related to the situation and a number of complex emotions this person needs to work through, and it’s not uncommon for someone to turn to substance use to cope. Support from friends and family can help reassure this person’s safety, but full recovery and separation from their abuser will likely require professional help through therapy. 

Healing from Unhealthy Bonds at Celebrate Hope

If you are worried that you or someone you know has developed a trauma bond alongside an addiction, Celebrate Hope can help. Trauma bonds are reflective of our God-given desire to be loved and cared for. Through our treatment model based in Christian principles, we can help you find comfort in the unconditional love our Creator provides while healing from addiction. If you’re ready to begin your life of freedom built on a foundation of Christ, contact us today. 

What Does PTSD Look Like?

You were in a very close call when another car almost ran head-on into yours. You witnessed a disturbing violent act against someone in your family. You experienced abuse as a child. You lived through the fear and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. You were in combat as a member of the military. Any of these, and many other traumatic experiences could cause you to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During PTSD Awareness Month, it’s important to understand what PTSD looks like.

PTSD Causes

PTSD is typically associated with the military, but anybody who’s experienced a traumatic event can have the anxiety disorder. A crime, fire, accident, or death of a loved one can be traumatizing. An extended experience such as long-term abuse or even the pandemic can also have a devastating effect which could leave someone with PTSD.

When an event occurs, such as a car accident, the individual may feel upset for a while but often that feeling will get better with time. If the individual becomes more fearful and anxious, and begins displaying symptoms that last longer than a month, they could have PTSD. The disorder affects about 7-8% of the population, with women more likely to be affected than men. Symptoms usually start within three months of the events, but they can surface much later.

What Does PTSD Look Like?

The anxiety disorder can look different for different people. There may be physical symptoms such as shaking, sweating, headaches, dizziness, stomach issues, and chest pain. The individual may also experience a weakened immune system, which could lead to frequent infections. Sleep disturbances can be an issue for some people, which can result in a feeling of being tired as well as other problems.

PTSD may also manifest itself in long-term behavioral changes, which can contribute to issues on the job and with personal relationships. An individual with PTSD may start to use or misuse drugs, medications, and alcohol. Behavioral changes can include becoming sad and hopeless, paranoid, fearful, or angry. An individual may withdraw from social interaction and lose interest in once-favorite activities.

Feeling Stressed or Frightened

When something potentially dangerous happens to a person, their natural sense of “fight or flight” will usually kick in. These split-second changes in the body and the mind help defend against danger or avoid it completely. Once the danger has passed, an individual’s reaction to it can continue to cause issues, in the form of the anxiety disorder PTSD. People who have PTSD continue to feel frightened or stressed, even after they are no longer in danger.

A traumatic event does not have to be life threatening to cause PTSD. An unexpected death of a close loved one can also leave an individual feeling traumatized. The stress of dealing with the isolation and fear of an unfamiliar virus can cause be traumatizing.

Three Main Types of PTSD Symptoms

There are three main types of symptoms associated with PTSD:

• Re-experiencing. A person may re-experience the trauma through flashbacks, nightmares, and other intrusive recollections of the event. Re-experiencing symptoms can include physical symptoms such as sweating or a racing heart.
• Emotional numbness and avoidance. The individual may avoid the people, places, and activities that remind them of their traumatic event or experience.
• Increased arousal. An individual may feel jumpy, have trouble concentrating, or be easily angered or irritated.

Cognition and Mood Symptoms

When an individual has PTSD, they display the symptoms within the three main categories, as well as in the category of Cognition and Mood, for a month or longer. Cognition and mood symptoms can include:

• Having trouble remembering details of the traumatic event
• Experiencing distorted feelings such as blame or guilt
• Negative thoughts about the world or about oneself.

These symptoms can result in the individual feeling alienated or detached from family and friends.

Some people recover from their PTSD within six months, while others take longer. Seeking treatment for the anxiety disorder is always a good idea to help manage the symptoms and process the trauma.

California Faith-Based Addiction Treatment

Celebrate Hope is here for you when you need help with mental health issues, such as the anxiety disorder PTSD, particularly when they co-occur with addiction. Please contact Celebrate Hope to learn more about our faith-based dual diagnosis treatment program. Our team helps men and women address the vicious cycle of mental illness and addiction so they can begin life anew. We rely on the teachings of Jesus Christ, along with evidence-based therapies to get individuals on the path of recovery.

Raising Awareness About PTSD

Last month, we directed our focus on mental health and co-occurring mental illnesses that accompany addiction. May was Mental Health Month. Today, we would like to direct your attention toward post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Every June is PTSD Awareness Month.

PTSD is a condition you may hear about a lot in the coming months and years in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus public health crisis has impacted countless lives across the globe. More than 2.5 million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 120 thousand have died from health complications related to the virus.

Post-traumatic stress can arise in a person's life for a number of reasons. It's not just people in the military who contend with the severe form of mental illness. Experiencing any kind of traumatic event, such as the loss of a loved one, can have a dramatic impact on a person's life.

Prolonged stents of loneliness and isolation can have a negative impact on your psychological well-being. It's worth noting that millions of Americans live alone and cannot rely on others' support while weathering the pandemic storm.

Isolation also has a pernicious effect on men and women who struggle with mental illness. Those living with mental health disorders have found the current crisis a real challenging event. With no end in sight, anxiety plagues millions of people, including those who contend with PTSD.

PTSD Awareness Month: Treatment Works

PTSD is not a rare disorder; some 8 million people live with PTSD in America. At this time, it is vital to support those living with the condition and let those with untreated post-traumatic stress know that treatment works. Many people who meet the criteria for PTSD also struggle with addiction. Self-medicating with drugs and alcohol is exceptionally common amongst those afflicted by the condition.

Addicts and alcoholics living with co-occurring PTSD must receive simultaneous treatment for both conditions. Each of us can play a role in raising awareness and encouraging those who are struggling to seek assistance. We can all make a difference in the lives of Veterans and anyone who has experienced trauma. It's a critical mission; the National Center for PTSD points out that:

"Most people who have PTSD don't get the help they need...Everyone with PTSD—whether they are Veterans or civilian survivors of sexual assault, serious accidents, natural disasters, or other traumatic events—needs to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life."

As the month ends and all year long, you can join the National Center for PTSD in raising awareness and help people in your community find the courage to seek treatment. Men and women living with untreated mental and behavioral health disorders are at significant risk and more prone to self-destructive behaviors and suicidal ideations. Please keep in mind:  

Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. There are factors that can increase the chance someone will develop PTSD, and these are often not under that person's control.
 

Faith-Based Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Celebrate Hope is a faith-based addiction treatment center in Southern California. We utilize evidence-based therapies, 12 Step principles, and the teachings of Jesus Christ to help men and women overcome addiction and co-occurring mental illnesses like PTSD. Please contact us today to begin the journey of recovery.