Key signs of Trauma
bonding
bonding
What is a solid sign that you are justifying abuse/control?
You make excuses for their behavior (e.g., "they're just stressed") or hide their actions from others.
What does Love Bombing Mean?
The abuser overwhelms the victim with excessive affection, attention, and gifts to rapidly establish a deep, intoxicating bond.
What type of care helps you focus on yourself
Self-care
True or False: Is trauma bonding deeply correlated with Substance Abuse?
True! often co-occurring as a cycle where intense emotional pain from abusive, high-stakes relationships is self-medicated with drugs or alcohol.
What is a sign of love bombing that may seem positive at first?
Showering (or being showered) with excessive gifts, love, attention. "You are the best and only amazing thing that ever happened to me." It can feel euphoric.
Meaning of Feeling Trapped?
You know the relationship is harmful but feel unable to leave, like you're addicted or it's impossible to live without them. You are stuck in the "possibilities" of the person
Trust and Dependency meaning
The abuser establishes themselves as the victim's primary source of support, often isolating them from friends and family, creating a sense of reliance
Seeking professional care is called what?
Therapy
What two Neuro transmitters do you think are involved with Trauma Bonding?
dopamine and cortisol—mirrors the chemical highs and lows of addiction, making both the toxic relationship and the substance exceptionally difficult to break.
What is a strong reason people stay in these dynamics?
The "Highs" Feel Like "Love": The brief periods of kindness and affection after abuse feel like genuine love, reinforcing the bond and giving you hope for change.
What is motional Volatility & Unpredictability?
The relationship swings wildly between affection and abuse, keeping you in a state of hypervigilance, always "walking on eggshells".
What is Criticism and Devaluation in trauma bonding/abuse?
The affectionate behavior shifts to criticism, devaluation, and verbal abuse as the abuser begins to control the relationship. You want to do whatever you can to get what you had, 'back.'
Maintaining your ground by setting ______this is called what?
Firm Boundaries
What are some Key connections between trauma bonding and Substance Abuse.
Self-Medication: Individuals often use substances to cope with the anxiety, fear, and emotional pain resulting from intense, unstable, or abusive relationships.
Stages of Trauma Bonding
Loss of Self: The victim loses their sense of identity, self-worth, and autonomy, often abandoning their own needs, goals, and values for the abuser.
What is Isolation with trauma bonding?
You distance yourself from friends and family who try to intervene or who notice the unhealthy dynamic.
describe Manipulation and Gaslighting:
The abuser makes the victim question their reality, memories, or perceptions, often blaming the victim for the abuse.
Building relationships with others is called
Gaining a support system
What is another Key Connections Between Trauma Bonding and Substance Abuse
Neurological Entanglement: Trauma bonding involves intense cycles of abuse and intermittent rewards, which activate the same reward pathways (dopamine/oxytocin) in the brain as drug addiction, creating a dual dependency.
Last stage of Trauma Bonding
Emotional Addiction to the Cycle: The brain becomes chemically addicted to the highs (love bombing) and lows (abuse) of the relationship, creating a powerful, addictive cycle that is difficult to break.
Describe Intense Loyalty & Guilt that can come with abuse/trauma bonding (co-dependency)
You feel a strong sense of obligation or guilt, believing you "owe" them or are responsible for their happiness. They may bring up reasons this is 'true.'
meaning of Resignation and Giving Up
The victim begins to feel helpless and stops resisting, submitting to the abuser's demands to avoid conflict or further pain.
Meaning of Loss of Self?
Your identity becomes enmeshed with theirs, you lose your own voice, and your primary focus becomes trying to fix or please the abuser.
What are some shared characteristics of trauma bonding and substance abuse?
Shared Characteristics: Both trauma bonds and substance addictions share common traits, such as intense highs and lows, feelings of shame, and powerlessness, making them difficult to break.
What are signs of love bombing that are hard to see in a relationship?
Having a partner constantly need love and attention (or you need constant validation)