I experienced anxiety, depression, headaches, and insomnia. When I'm in trauma mode I cannot sleep at all. It is so hard for me to fall asleep. And my brain just thinks and thinks and thinks and thinks and it’s really hard for me to shut it off.
- Anonymous member of the Betrayal Trauma Recovery Community
Betrayal Trauma Is A Symptom of Emotional Abuse
Women who have been betrayed by an intimate partner may experience betrayal trauma. Betrayal trauma symptoms closely mimic Rape Trauma Syndrome and Complex PTSD.
Betrayal Trauma is a devastating phenomenon that is a symptom of abuse as well as betrayal. Women in betrayal trauma are often misdiagnosed as codependent, depressed (though depression is a symptom of betrayal trauma), having Borderline-Personality Disorder, and a myriad of other diagnoses, including "overreacting". Many women spend months to years searching for answers as to why they feel so "crazy".
"All this anger and the guilt and the anxiety wasn’t me just going crazy, because that’s really what I thought. And I think when I’m in trauma a lot of times I get in that mindset of ‘oh my gosh, I’m crazy'. I am a psycho person and no one else is crazy like this!"
-Anonymous member of the Betrayal Trauma Recovery Community
It is tragic that so many victims go through a gauntlet of poor support systems both in and out of professional therapy before they find Betrayal Trauma Recovery, but once here, they are able to find the support they deserve to begin to heal. Speak to a professional now.
Victims Feel The Symptoms Of Emotional Abuse In Their Bodies
Many victims of emotional abuse, betrayal trauma, and other forms of relational abuse, experience horrific physical symptoms including:
* Migraine headaches
* Insomnia
* Unexplained stomach discomfort
* Fatigue
* Joint pain
* Autoimmune diseases
* Neuropathy
* Chronic pelvic pain
While every experience is different, victims of abuse often report unexplained discomfort and pain in their bodies during and after periods of abuse.
BTR Coaches are trained to help women understand their bodies and to aid them in seeking education to begin the journey to safety and ultimately, healing. There are many resources available regarding the body and how it is affected by abuse. Speak to a coach today.
Emotional Abuse Can Affect The Mental Health of Victims
"I had some anxiety attacks... so I went on medication for those, and then just a bunch of different mental health problems."
-Anonymous member of the Betrayal Trauma Recovery Community
Depression, anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsivity and other mental health issues are just some of the ways that emotional abuse can affect the mental health of victims. Many women in the Betrayal Trauma Recovery community report that they experience, or have experienced, panic or anxiety attacks related to the abuse.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please reach out to a professional who can help you. Emotional abuse is not just abuse. It is as serious as physical battering,