Commentary on a Betrayal Trauma: Causes and Diagnosis

Alexandra Mildrum^*
*Correspondence: Dr. Alexandra Mildrum, Department of Psychology, Australian College of Applied Psychology, Sydney, Australia, Email:

Description

Betrayal trauma refers to the emotional distress and pain, which comes out when a trusted institution, loved one or intimate partner violates someone’s trust that shows impact on every individual. Betrayal trauma may occur alongside things like gas lighting and lead to anxiety and depression. Recovering from betrayal trauma is not possible in three or four days, on an average it will take few months to recover completely with the help of moral support. There are many other steps to take in other to help foster the healing of betrayal trauma in a healthy way, among them therapy and mindfulness can help you to heal from this trauma and move forward to make healthier relationships. Betrayal trauma basically refers to the lingering pain and turmoil. Any type of betrayal can cause emotional distress, but you might experience lingering trauma when someone you depend on to respect your needs and generally help safeguard your well-being violates the trust you’ve placed in them. If a person is suffering from the betrayal trauma, it may seem impossible to imagine your life as bright and happy. It is normal to think that you can never completely love or trust others so deeply. This does not have to be the case. That person can develop better skills to heal, identify safe people, and properly trust and feel good again. While these suggestions can help, if you struggle with more than a couple of these ways to recover, please get the professional help that you need.

Here are 5 ways to help yourself heal after experiencing betrayal trauma:

1. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness means helping us become more aware of the moments we are experiencing in our bodies. Whatever we notice, with compassion for yourself, not for judgment. It's not about clearing your mind. It's about noticing what's happening in your mind without trying to change it.

Other elements of mindfulness include exercises. One of my favorites is naming one thing that you are sensing for each of your senses. For example, I see a picture on my wall, I taste the coffee that I am drinking, I hear the music playing in the next room, and so on. A person doesn’t have to wait until you need it to practice this exercise.

2. Take care of body

Taking care of a human body means giving it the nutrition and care it needs. The mind and body are connected. Maintaining physical health may seem inconsistent, but it is also an important part of laying the foundation for a healthy mind. It has the added benefit of sending yourself a message that you are someone worth making that effort.

Drink plenty of water, eat a clean meal with lots of vegetables, find some form of exercise that you enjoy (increasing endorphins and providing more oxygen to your brain), and practicing good sleep habits. Make sure that go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, keep your room dark and cool, and avoid screen time and blue light for at least an hour before bedtime.

3. Pamper yourself

If a person do all the basics of caring their body, that person will take it to the next level. Pamper in their selves. Enjoy a massage or manicure. Experiment with different forms of bodywork, including reflexology, Rolfing, chiropractic, and posture integration. It lays the foundation for long-term physical and mental health.

4. Try a variety of calming activities

Heartfelt exercises and activities such as martial arts, tai chi, yoga, and Pilates will help to calm human nervous system and connection with our body. Progressive muscle relaxation is beneficial in so many ways. Experimenting with different types of body work can also be helpful.

5. Build healthy relationships

There is no perfect relationship. The people we love make us fail. So what's the safe and dysfunctional relationship? Basically, in a safe relationship, you are free to feel that you are yourself and not being judged. If a person make a mistake or hurt others emotions, you and others can talk about them. When you leave the conversation, you feel like you've heard and understood, and you feel better overall. Make sure that at least the five closest relationships in a person life are healthy, safe, and supportive. If a person have no such relationships in their life, and don’t know how to create healthy relationships with someone, they may need to add this to your goals as you work with a therapist.