What Is Domestic Abuse and How to Overcome It?

Trauma is a terrible experience to go through, especially if it is domestic abuse. The idea of being abused day in day out by someone close is terrifying indeed, and anyone who has gone through it knows the kind of damage it does to you. And let’s face it; even strong, smart women can become victims of domestic abuse. And feeling crazy and helpless during this time is normal. In fact, a lot of women can’t even see the truth of the situation to begin with.

Now, what should you do in such situations? The answer is simple you choose to leave instead of being stuck in such a horrible relationship for the rest of your life. Now, if you are wondering, is it easy? No, getting out of an abuse-related relationship is incredibly challenging and can take a long time. But does that mean you quit and continue suffering? Well, no, never. In this article, we are going to talk about domestic abuse and some self-care tips to help overcome domestic abuse.

What Can Be Considered Domestic Abuse?

Domestic abuse or domestic violence is considered to be a type of behavioral pattern in relationships that is used for maintaining or gaining power, thereby allowing control over a sexual partner. Did you know – abuse can be different. It can be physical, sexual, economic, psychological, or emotional threats or actions that influence another person. Domestic abuse can happen to any person irrespective of age, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. Domestic abuse can happen in any relationship, including couples who are dating, living together, or married.

Victims of domestic abuse can also include other relatives or even household members and kids. Domestic abuse generally is sexual, economic, physical, or mental. Domestic violence incidents are never isolated and escalate easily in severity and frequency. Also, domestic abuse tends to culminate in death or severe physical injury.

Tips To Help Heal and Overcome Domestic Abuse

1. Remembering that Healing Is the Key

Want to know how to overcome and heal trauma? Now the process of healing varies from one person to another, but for every individual, healing involves releasing the past traumas and forgiving. What this does is

• • • Allow the survivor to focus on the self because, during times like this, negative feelings and thoughts can become overwhelming. What healing does is allow the survivor to focus on their personal needs instead of focusing on all the negativity of the past.
  • • Helps to relieve the pain and finding ways to being happy and enjoying time with oneself. This is also a great time to get out and meet new people, take up some new hobby or return to some once-abandoned hobbies.
  • • Allows survivors to become closer with their family and friends and accept their support and love, which they badly need at this time.
  • • Helps survivors experience feelings of love, joy, and happiness again after they have released all the negative emotions trapped inside from the past trauma.

 

 

 

2. Recognizing The Many Effects of Trauma

Most effects of trauma tend to originate from abuse. In case you notice any of these effects, take it as a warning sign and consult a professional to help address the trauma. Some of the common effects are:

• • • • Having flashbacks of painful experiences like physical or sexual violence
    • • Being scared to getting close to people or developing romantic feelings again
    • • Having trouble sleeping and eating healthy
    • • Having low self-esteem and feeling hateful towards self
    • • Feeling anxious and having panic attacks sometimes
    • • Having self-harming thoughts
    • • Being consumed or getting addicted to drugs

3. Healing the Body

Healing the mind becomes easier when you heal your body. So find a form of exercising that will help you release all the pent-up rage, grief, hurt that generally stems from trauma and abuse. You can go for yoga, dancing, kickboxing, running, swimming, cycling, etc. also, for some extra pick me up, listen to some positive affirmations or powerful grounding music. Just keep in mind exercising should be a way to feel great, not self-destructing.

4. Understanding the Importance of Positive Affirmations

• The subconscious mind needs to be refocused to get rid of those negative thoughts and bring in some good positive vibes. And at times, you literally need to force this positivity because the negative inner critic not only holds back from embracing good and positive things but also stirs self-sabotage.

 

To silence this negative inner dialogue, it is necessary to put in place a positive affirmations system that can be used daily. Positive affirmations are capable of interrupting those unwelcome and disruptive thoughts and turning them into something positive and better. So try incorporating positive affirmations like “I am lovable,” “I am worthy,” “I love myself and my life.”

5. Being Creative

• Art therapy has been very helpful for survivors of PTSD by allowing them to integrate and create. In fact, studies have shown that through art therapy, survivors have managed to show regression in drawings of the aftermath of trauma. Therefore creating something helps to express the self in a transformative manner by helping to release the trauma as well as its negative effects.

 

Activities like painting, drawing, writing, or playing music, crafts and arts are some great options that can work as a part of art therapy. That’s not all; creating something all by yourself and then sharing it with others is a great way of reminding yourself that you can overcome any struggle in life.

6. Considering Asking for Help If You Need

• Lastly, always remember asking for help doesn’t make you powerless or helpless. In fact, seeking help and being open to accepting it shows how brave and unafraid you are of being vulnerable. So, if you need professional help, find someone who will understand the symptoms and specializes in trauma. There are also plenty of support groups today that will help you go through this traumatic experience. And lastly, you can always call the National Domestic Violence Helpline for any help at all.

 

• Recovering completely from domestic violence isn’t an easy or short road, but at the end of the day, it is worth the hard work and effort. Also, remember there is no time limit to heal or learn, so take your time and start with baby steps if you have to but no matter what, don’t give up on your healing journey.
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