Why It Can Be Hard To Leave An Abusive Relationship

When others learn that someone is subjected to abuse, they frequently question why the victim doesn't end the relationship. However, for someone in that circumstance, reality frequently isn't so straightforward.

The process of ending an abusive relationship can be frightening, challenging, and stressful. Before eventually being able to stop the relationship and flee, the person may make repeated attempts to leave their partner.

Some of the causes for why it could be challenging for someone to end an unhealthy relationship include the following: 

1. Experiencing past trauma - People who have experienced trauma or abuse throughout their lives may go into a state of dissociation or freeze, where they become numb and unable to absorb what is happening. This may make it more challenging to respond when abuse occurs.
   
   
2. Hoping things would eventually be better - It's possible that the person still cares about their relationship or believes that things will turn around. They might have been asked for another opportunity and given a promise that they will change by their partner. A period of abuse may be followed by a honeymoon period in which everything looks perfect. Abuse is frequently recurrent.
   
   
3. Being manipulated or gaslighted - After the abuser has likely made the victim feel helpless, useless, and powerless, the victim may get confused, doubt their reality, wonder whether they are to blame for the abuse and feel incapable of surviving on their own. They struggle to find the will to go because of this.
   
   
4. Feeling alone - Because abusers frequently keep their victims away from their friends and families, victims of abuse may feel alone and without support. Without a network of support, taking such a step might be challenging.
   
   
5. Threats may have been made to harm the victim if they tried to leave their abuser. The threats might even apply to their friends, family, or pets.
   
   
6. Refusing to acknowledge being abused - When someone has experienced abuse, they could feel afraid, humiliated, or embarrassed to tell others. It doesn't help that abuse victims are frequently accused of perpetrating the abuse. If the abuser is a powerful person or is well-liked in the community, it could be much more difficult for the victim to identify them. 

A WORD FROM SOCIALLY SOULED

It might not be as simple to leave an abusive situation if you or a loved one is involved. It may be a lengthy procedure that takes several weeks, months, or even years. Making a safety plan and implementing it, however, is crucial. Many groups can assist in giving you the refuge and support you require.

If you are concerned that your spouse might hurt you or if they have threatened you in the past, you should create a safety plan before leaving. To assist you in coming up with a strategy, think about contacting your neighborhood safe house or other community organizations.