Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Trauma Can Affect Your RelationshipCopingSupporting a Partner
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Trauma Can Affect Your Relationship
Coping
Supporting a Partner
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Traumais an emotional reaction to a distressing event that causes significant fear, confusion, helplessness, or dissociation.Examples of major traumatic events include war, natural disasters, assault, abuse, violence, and witnessing death, among others.Smaller incidents like a breakup, loss of a pet, or loss of a job can also cause trauma.
Trauma can affect people in many ways and its effects may look different from person to person, saysJenna Hennessy, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and instructor of medical psychology (in psychiatry) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
If you have been through a traumatic experience, you may find that it has changed you in many ways, including affecting your partner and your relationship. In fact, the American Psychological Association notes that one of the long-term effects of trauma is strained relationships.
Jenna Hennessy, PhD
This article explores some of theeffects of trauma on relationshipsand somecoping strategiesthat may be helpful to you and your partner.
Below, Dr. Hennessy outlines some of the ways trauma can affect you and how that might affect your relationship with your partner:
What to Know About Traumatic Shock
Coping With the Effects of Trauma on Your Relationship
Dr. Hennessy shares some strategies that can help you cope with the effects of trauma on your relationship:
How Can I Find Support Groups Near Me?
Supporting a Partner Who Has Experienced Trauma
Dr. Hennessy describes some of the emotional reactions you may experience if your partner has been through something traumatic:
Dr. Hennessy suggests some ways to support your partner if they have had a recent traumatic experience:
Jenna Hennessy, PhDI always recommend that partners of those who have experienced trauma also seek help and support because their lives have been impacted as well.
I always recommend that partners of those who have experienced trauma also seek help and support because their lives have been impacted as well.
Hyper-Independence and Trauma: What’s the Connection?
A Word From Verywell
Traumatic events often causelong-termmental and emotional damage.Trauma can affect every aspect of your life, including your relationship with your partner.
It’s important to give yourself time to heal and seek help if you need it. Communicate with your partner and let them be there for you through this process. Together, you can work on rebuilding your relationship.
Understanding Intergenerational Trauma and Its Effects on Mental Health
6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Trauma.APA Dictionary of Psychology.National Library of Medicine.Traumatic events.Medline Plus.American Psychological Association.Trauma.Kleber RJ.Trauma and public mental health: a focused review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:451. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00451De Bellis MD, Zisk A.The biological effects of childhood trauma.Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2014;23(2):185-vii. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002National Institutes of Health.Trauma.
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Trauma.APA Dictionary of Psychology.National Library of Medicine.Traumatic events.Medline Plus.American Psychological Association.Trauma.Kleber RJ.Trauma and public mental health: a focused review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:451. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00451De Bellis MD, Zisk A.The biological effects of childhood trauma.Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2014;23(2):185-vii. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002National Institutes of Health.Trauma.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychological Association.Trauma.APA Dictionary of Psychology.National Library of Medicine.Traumatic events.Medline Plus.American Psychological Association.Trauma.Kleber RJ.Trauma and public mental health: a focused review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:451. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00451De Bellis MD, Zisk A.The biological effects of childhood trauma.Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2014;23(2):185-vii. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002National Institutes of Health.Trauma.
American Psychological Association.Trauma.APA Dictionary of Psychology.
National Library of Medicine.Traumatic events.Medline Plus.
American Psychological Association.Trauma.
Kleber RJ.Trauma and public mental health: a focused review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;10:451. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00451
De Bellis MD, Zisk A.The biological effects of childhood trauma.Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2014;23(2):185-vii. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002
National Institutes of Health.Trauma.
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