Forming healthy bonds and relationships is perhaps one of the most significant aspects of life, as they help us achieve mental and emotional stability. As human beings are social creatures, having a meaningful dynamic with another person enables us to maintain a positive outlook in stressful situations and helps us steer our thoughts in the right direction.

Unfortunately, bonding with others doesn’t always come easy for everyone. Establishment of a healthy relationship, when mixed with a history of negative experiences, can turn into a challenging ordeal. As a consequence, individuals with unresolved trauma can develop codependent behaviors and traits.

In this blog, we will explore the connection between trauma and codependency.

Understanding Trauma

By definition, trauma is essentially an emotional response to a distressing experience. According to The American Psychological Association, these experiences may include rape, accidents, natural disasters, or any distressing occurrence that leaves a negative impact on an individual.

Immediately after the event, survivors typically experience shock and go into denial. However, the physical, mental and emotional effect of trauma extends way beyond the negative event that triggers it and more often than not, survivors struggle to move on with their lives due to flash backs and elevated stress.

In order to restore emotional well-being and lead a normal life, these individuals need help from both professional psychologists and loved ones. However, as each traumatic experience varies from another, it’s difficult to identify all the signs of a person in need of assistance. A few common red flags include:

• Disoriented state of mind
• Lack of response
• Night terrors
• Edginess
• Irritability
• Elevated anxiety
• Mood swings

Trauma: The root cause of codependency

Codependency can be viewed as a response of trauma. While codependent relationships don’t always occur as a result of trauma, people who have endured traumatic experiences are at a high risk of developing traits of codependency.

In fact, studies have suggested that there exists a strong link between trauma and codependent behavior. Growing up in a household with domestic violence and abuse alters the concept of healthy relationships and intimacy for children. Witnessing such distressing events as a child may also lead to the notion that protesting against abuse or violent behavior leads to further aggression.

When these traumatic experiences occur at a high frequency, these concepts further solidify. As a result, children tend to avoid asserting themselves in situations and carry this trait with them well into their adulthood. An adult with a disturbing childhood may end up losing a sense of self and often put needs of others before themselves, which are some common traits of codependency.

What can I do about it?

When paired when childhood trauma and history of abuse, symptoms of codependency can worsen rapidly. However, it’s never too late to seek help. You can always embark on your journey to recovery by seeking professional treatment, to effectively deal with unresolved trauma and codependent behavior.

Rekha Shrivastava, M.S., CH, CRC, CASAC, at Blossom Hypnosis, is a certified hypnotist and rehabilitation counselor trained to help individuals struggling with codependency, low self-esteem, depression and other mental health related issues. She uses hypnosis and self-esteem enhancing strategies to assist her clients in learning to identify their feelings and expressing their emotions.

Schedule a free consultation today!

Sources:

https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma/

https://www.psychguides.com/guides/trauma-symptoms-causes-and-effects/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/trauma-and-codependency/