is there a typical psychological process that people go through after a breakup from an abusive relationship?

Question

(On a long term timeline, i mean.)

Answer 1

Uhm well right away it's probably anger, denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance, not necessarily in that order.

In the long term, just the struggle of reminding yourself that it was one tainted individual, not everyone is like that.

Answer 2

There isn't a "typical" process, per se, because it impacts everyone differently. However, there are things we do know about the aftermath. Its common for a battered woman to actually have difficulty with the grief of the loss of the relationship and the dream she once held. Often when she's been out of the relationship for a couple of months, there is a tendency for her to forget how bad things were, remember only the good things, and be susceptible to returning to her abuser. The transition can be more difficult than most people think it should be. Also, it can be hard for her to have the confidence in herself to go forward with her life because the abuser was emotionally abusive as well, eroding her self esteem and self worth. She may find "normal" guys boring because they lack that intensity that the abuser brought. It also takes a long time to figure out what really happened. How she got caught up in the abuse, how she didn't recognize it for a long time, how she accommodated the abuse for a period of time. There may be issues of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder that need to be dealt with in therapy with someone who really knows and understands abuse.

It can be like the loss of any relationship with the added elements of dealing with the impact of the abuse and the effects on her self esteem. Regaining confidence, trust in others, reconnecting with friends and family after the abuser may have isolated her - those are all long term issues post abuse. The good news - she got out. The difficult part is staying out. If you can get past the grief process of the two-four month period, you will be on your way. Get supportive help to get through the times you don't even understand yourself.

Answer 3

Usually, an abusive relationship leaves many emotional scars and a general feeling of mistrust in other relationships. Unbelievably, many people end up in another abusive relationship after that, probably because the signs of an abusive person are not always obvious. I think counseling would be very helpful with a counselor experienced in dealing with relationships.

Answer 4

I believe so. A 'de-briefing' for sure. Reintegration into a larger Reality takes time. No one stays in an abusive relationship without having lied to themselves extensively.

Answer 5

I've never been through that. I would love to know what Tina went through after leaving Ike, though. Despite it being 32 years since she left him with $0.36 to her name, the situation has to still have a profound effect on her.
I can't imagine being with another man and not getting nervous. I have never seen Tina on a domestic show discussing it.
What about Christina Crawford? That was her mother.