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My Journey Through Trauma Bonding with My Ex
Falling for my ex felt like a whirlwind romance at first, but little did I know, it would spiral into a storm of emotional abuse. I found myself trapped in the suffocating grip of trauma bonding. In this sinister connection, victims, like me, develop a confusing attachment to their abuser through a destructive cycle of cruelty and crumbs of affection.
Take Stockholm syndrome, for example — a term born from a 1973 bank heist in Sweden where hostages, held for six harrowing days, formed a bond with their captors. I, too, felt that strange, irrational loyalty. My abuser’s rare moments of kindness became my only lifeline in a sea of emotional torment.
The Web of Deception
Trauma bonding weaves its web in various scenarios:
- Neglected elders
- Domestic violence
- Cults
- Kidnapping
- Human trafficking
- Sexual abuse
- Workplace harassment
- Toxic caregiving
Abusers master the art of manipulation, drawing you in with occasional acts of contrition and promises of change, all while perpetuating the cycle of…
