@ellentift: Some wounds hurt more because of who caused them. Betrayal trauma happens when someone you depend on for survival, emotional support, or basic needs violates your trust in a profound way. Psychologist Jennifer Freyd introduced the term in 1991, and her research found that the closer and more necessary the relationship, the deeper the betrayal. That's why I think of it as rings. Betrayal by an institution, a medical provider, or a community you belong to sits in the outer ring. High betrayal trauma comes from someone close: a caregiver, a family member, a trusted friend. And at the center is intimate partner betrayal, when a romantic partner breaks core agreements through infidelity, financial deception, or hidden addictions. For many survivors, especially those who've carried more than one kind of betrayal, this is the one that cuts deepest. The rings show a general pattern. They don't measure anyone's pain. Institutional betrayal can be devastating too. Something that is a common plot point in thousands of stories can be the very pivot point in a survivor's life. There was the life they lived before the betrayal came to light, and the life they lived after. Betrayal trauma doesn't just break your trust in the person who harmed you. It can shatter your trust in your own judgment, in other people, in institutions, and even in your grasp of reality. If this is your story, I see you, and there was nothing foolish about loving someone you trusted enough to choose. From the There's a Word for That series on complex trauma, CPTSD, narcissistic abuse, and betrayal trauma. #betrayaltrauma #cptsd #cheatingisabuse #traumahealing #complextrauma

Ellen Tift - Author, Musician

Open In TikTok:

Region: US

Thursday 05 November 2026 23:00:00 GMT