Domestic Violence – Working Back To Normalcy
Domestic violence happens when a person tries to dominate another person physically or psychologically. The perpetrator could be a family member, a sexual partner, a cohabitant, a spouse, or anyone else who is close to you.
Domestic violence can be in the form of abuse that is physical, sexual, or emotional. It can also take the form of threats, coercion, financial control, etc.
Types Of Domestic Abuse
All domestic violence cases are different, in ways such as but not limited to:
Manner: physical, psychological, sexual, and/or social abuse.
Occurrence: the frequency of abuse could be rare, occasional, or chronic.
Degree of brutality: the extent of psychological or physical harm inflicted upon the victim.
Injury: the injury inflicted upon the victim could be mild, moderate, or severe (perhaps even leading to homicide).
The victim of domestic violence suffers tremendously and must find an escape and seek professional help. They must not take violence as a way of life and must lodge a formal complaint.
The Effects Of Domestic Abuse
The effects of domestic violence can be extremely damaging.
It could lead to emotional trauma like:
Shock, denial, or disbelief at what happened is the first effect of violence, and you may refuse to believe what happened with you.
Constant anger, irritability, and mood swings could be demonstrated in the victim’s behavior.
Guilt, shame, and self-blame could result from domestic violence, and you may end up blaming yourself for whatever happened.
Feeling sad or hopeless and even worthless, long after the trauma, also happen as a result of violence.
Domestic violence can also lead to confusion and difficulty concentrating even on ordinary daily chores.
Anxiety and fear of the violence can send shivers down the spine for months to come.
Withdrawing from others and isolation can become a part of the victim’s life for long.
Feeling deadened and lifeless is another common symptom of this trauma.
Violence at home also leads to inevitable physical symptoms like aches and pains, being startled easily, difficulty focusing, restlessness and anxiety, tiredness, sleeplessness or nightmares, muscle tension, and racing heartbeat.
When To Seek Help With Recovery
Domestic violence can be dealt with effectively with the help of a professional intervention. The recovery may take time but can be a little easier with counseling. It is important to seek assistance if the following symptoms persist:
if your day-to-day functioning is hampered
if you experience tremendous dread, nervousness, or gloominess
if you are unable to associate with people closely
if you are going through nightmares, flashbacks, or traumatic memories
if you are constantly trying to avoid reminders of the trauma
if you are using alcohol, drugs, or other such substances to feel better
If you believe you or a loved one may benefit from domestic violence counseling, we invite you to contact us to set an appointment for domestic violence counseling today. A sliding scale is offered to those in need,
