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I've seen the term "trauma bonding" used as "the bond between people who have been abused".
It's not.
It's a psych term that means "a strong emotional attachment between an abused person & his or her (or their) abuser, formed as a result of the cycle of violence."
It's not.
It's a psych term that means "a strong emotional attachment between an abused person & his or her (or their) abuser, formed as a result of the cycle of violence."
Trauma bonding is why survivors don't leave sooner, it's part of how our abusers deconstruct our self-esteem and independence. It's why they mistreat us and we still hold on. Why we still hope for them.
The bond between survivors is not a trauma bond. It is a bond of survival & support. Those relationships *can* be toxic or codependent, but they are not a trauma bond... unless they are abusive.
I understand words can get away from their meaning. but this one feels... almost violent. It's a phrase used to describe how our abusers create toxic bonds that trap us, but it's being used to... almost dismiss the bonds formed between survivors. I hate it.
