“Are You Trauma-Bonded? A Survivor’s Checklist”

If you’ve ever felt trapped in a relationship that hurt you—but still couldn’t walk away—you might be trauma-bonded. This isn’t about weakness. It’s about survival wiring. Use this checklist as a gut-check, not a judgment. And please remember: Awareness is not shame. It’s step one.

The Checklist:

Check all that apply:

 You defend their behavior even when it hurt you.

 You feel addicted to their validation.

 You fear leaving more than staying—even when it’s toxic.

 You confuse chaos with passion.

 You feel physical symptoms (nausea, panic, exhaustion) around them.

 You fantasize about “proving them wrong” or “being enough.”

 You keep secrets to protect their image.

 You feel numb, but call it love.

 You’ve left and gone back more than once.

 You don't know who you are without them.

Interpretation:

If you checked 5 or more, you may be in a trauma bond. But even 1 or 2 boxes can still signal a pattern worth healing.

This is not a diagnosis. It’s a mirror. And you are not broken—you were just trained to survive in a battlefield and call it love.

If this opened your eyes or made you cry (that’s okay too), you’re in the right place. Healing is allowed here.

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💬 Comment your thoughts or your “aha” moment.

You’re not alone.