Relational and Betrayal Trauma

Relational trauma, also known as betrayal trauma and attachment trauma, takes place within the context of an intimate relationship in which there is an expectation of safety for one or both of the parties involved. It is referred to as a breach of trust, but professionals in the field of psychological health also call it an attachment injury. An attachment injury takes place when one partner does not live up to the expectation that the other will provide safety and care.

It makes perfect sense that sexual addiction and cheating on a partner would be experienced as a "attachment injury" and would cause a severe rift in the couple's relationship. Emotional reactions to infidelity are similar to those triggered by other traumatic experiences, such as shock, repression, denial, intense mood swings, depression, anxiety, and a reduction in one's sense of self-worth. People who have been betrayed often feel the need to repeatedly question the person who betrayed them, as well as experience hyper-vigilance, intrusive thoughts about the infidelity, and, frequently, obsessive thoughts of acts of revenge or punishment. Betrayal can have a devastating effect on a person's mental and emotional health.

Broken trust is the most critical injury for couples recovering from betrayal trauma because trust is the foundation for a healthy relationship. Because of this, broken trust is the most critical injury. As a result, the primary objective of therapy is to heal relational trauma by reestablishing trust and intimacy in the therapeutic relationship. If relational trauma is ignored even in the early stages of treatment, it will lead to further dysregulation and crisis for the couple in later stages of the recovery process.

When individuals' interpersonal connections are strained to the breaking point, they go through excruciating pain. Ruptures in relationships frequently lead people to experience feelings of hopelessness and despair. The vast majority of relationships, however, have the potential to mend when provided with the expertise, resources, and tools necessary by trained professionals.