Are you trying to recover from a toxic relationship? And finding peace from it seems difficult? Then there are 6 ways to recover from a toxic relationship.

When someone is reeling in the aftermath of a toxic relationship, there are several steps toward finding inner peace that can help the survivor navigate emotional pain.

Most people will inevitably encounter bad people whether in work, family, friendship, or romantic relationships. The abuser does not need a full diagnosis of NPD (narcissistic personality disorder) or psychopathy to cause emotional damage.

Simply possessing some traits of CPD personality disorder can make any contact with such a person equate to emotional hurt and pain (Brown, 2009).

The good news is that once he is armed with information on how to protect himself from deceitful and toxic people, healthy individuals develop a distinct armor regarding their intimate relationships.

And in circumstances where the survivor is unfortunately traumatized by a malignant narcissist or another toxic person, there is hope for recovery, balance, and good health.

I want to stress that experiencing a toxic relationship with the abuser is painful for the survivor. Following narcissistic (or psychopathy) abuse, individuals can experience depression, anxiety, PTSD, C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder), physical pain, and panic attacks.

Being in the force field of a pathological aggressor for any length of time (but especially during chronic and long-term conditions) leads to psychological harm to the survivor.

With that said, the survivor must seek and obtain qualified psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional trained in trauma-informed care and knowledge of narcissistic/psychopathic abuse.

Life coaching by survivors can also be very helpful, to provide verification and confirmation. However, because recovering from toxic relationships can feel like you’re coming out on the dark side with a complex constellation of clinical concerns.

For this reason, you need to recover with a doctor (psychotherapist) who understands the subtle reaction to trauma, healing from abusive relationships, and has the training to provide such interventions.

If someone you work with claims to be able to “address” these clinical concerns, and is not a licensed physician, they are practicing unethically, illegally, and outside their scope. Buyer awareness.

The good news is that an increasing number of therapists are trained in this specialty. Find a trauma practitioner, who focuses on strengths, and is empowering to help you recover.

Here are some suggestions for survivors that I offer to my clients in my private practice. In the wake of abuse in a toxic relationship, survivors need and deserve inner peace and healing.

6 ways to recover from a toxic relationship

1. As mentioned above, get in touch with a qualified assistant professional who can address the very nuanced and complex of PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc.
   Healing will take time, and the painful grief from a toxic relationship requires a multi-layered “unpacking” in the presence of a caring professional, empathy, and non-judgment (in some cases a telehealth consultation may be appropriate for individuals who are geographically far from specialists).

Clinicians familiar with trauma can also offer EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) interventions that help the brain trigger how the trauma is encoded.

Clinicians familiar with trauma may practice other interventions such as the Emotional Freedom Technique, physical experience, mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy, and/or expressive arts.

You need to research and inquire about how your trauma therapist deals with de-trauma and integrating wellness into your treatment plan.

2. Surround yourself with concern and concern for real others in your tribe – these people may be family members, friends, colleagues, professionals, and acquaintances.
   Part of the treatment in the aftermath of a toxic relationship is continuing to feel safe and belonging to healthy circles of support.

For people who do not have family or friends nearby, it is especially necessary to seek qualified assistance professionals who can work in a form of a “safe retention environment” (Winnicott, 1973) as the survivor builds her tribe out of caring for others.

A word about online forums: some of them may be helpful, but many are not moderated by trained professionals. Some forums are attractions for online stalkers and trolls. Once again, buyer beware. A personal support group facilitated by a trained physician and dedicated to healing toxic relationships is ideal. That, online support groups that are moderated and facilitated by trained and empowered professionals would be an alternative.

3. Do not contact any abusive person.

If you share children or have to work with this person, you can have limited contact, where your only contact is either closely related to paternity (in this case you can use a computer program like Family Wizard that is monitored by your attorney/courts) or in the case of work, keep To speak and communicate strictly for business purposes and with the presence of a witness/second party.

Read DARVO Tactics: To Every Girl Who Has Ever Lost Herself To A Toxic Man

Ideally and optimally for full recovery, at least limited contact (and only in the circumstances mentioned), and in all other cases, absolutely no contact. With no connection, this is when healing begins. The aggressor’s toxic force field is removed/unlocked, and the survivor has the chance to thrive again.

4. Practice higher self-care.
   Self-care is not selfish. Self-care practices are vital to healing and targeting all aspects of health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and mental. This includes:

Exercise: at least 30 minutes a day, preferably in the sun and in nature. If you live in a cold climate, going out is still important (snowboarding, cross-country skiing, etc.). Studies show that immersion in nature has many benefits for mental health, especially hiking (Bratman, 2015).
Exercise raises serotonin and endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that the body and mind need to function smoothly and without depression or anxiety. Twenty minutes of sunshine/per day raises vitamin D in our bodies (deficiency of this vitamin can lead to depression).
Physiological release of pent-up stress from trauma: in the form of yoga, meditation, journaling, kickboxing, and massage. Studies show that our bodies experience trauma; We must dispose of the trauma physiologically in a healthy way (van der Kolk, 2015).
Connecting with spiritual affiliation, whether in an organized religious institution or as a solo practitioner – feeling peace from a higher power, through prayer, Reiki, meditation, nature, etc. can have a very beneficial effect on the healing journey.
releasing expressive arts – One of the main mechanisms in releasing trauma is the expression of ‘perceived’ pain in a sensory way (Malchiodi, 2015). Locate a trained expressive arts practitioner with knowledge of trauma to help you with this component of therapy.
(Side note: Coloring books are not art therapy. They can be very helpful with mindfulness, but they are not a substitute for trauma-informed expressive art therapy.)
Good nutrition and sleep hygiene – Studies show that we should have at least 5 consecutive hours (uninterrupted) sleep to have a complete sleep cycle.
When this is disrupted (for whatever reason but often due to insomnia where trauma is concerned), depression and anxiety result due to low levels of serotonin. Dealing with excellent sleep is essential to recovery. Some individuals may need to consult with a health practitioner about possible options for melatonin or sleep aids (temporarily), stress reduction exercises before bed, etc.
Good nutrition is just as important. You do not need to buy expensive nutritional supplements to fuel your body with good nutrition. Studies show that omega-3 fish oil is excellent at protecting the brain from depression and anxiety (among other great benefits) (Kendall-Tackett, 2014).
Look for healthy meals rich in fiber, protein, fruits, and vegetables. Remember to drink plenty of water, and reduce (or eliminate) caffeine and alcohol consumption.
RELATED: 5 Powerful Self-Care Tips for Survivors of Abuse and Trauma

5. Routine matters.
   The brain needs time to work through trauma, cognitive dissonance, and anxiety/depression after being in a toxic relationship. Therefore, giving your brain plenty of time to bask in logic and creative expression is key to providing relief from the intensity of emotions in the aftermath of a trauma.

For example, if you find that you are considering ruminating in an abusive relationship, it will be helpful to resolve the issue with your therapist with a list of logical or creative actions you can take to keep your mind from falling into flashbacks.

Some suggestions might include, maintaining your routine (for work, etc.). Keep your mind focused on logical activities that require getting out of the emotional mind (sometimes crossword puzzles or words with friends can bring you back to logical reasoning and reasoning).

Some of my clients like to do projects that help them with mindfulness, such as crafting, knitting, playing an instrument, or just “tinkering” with the house with different organizing or cleaning projects.

6. Keep a journal when intrusive thoughts appear because they will.
   You will need help deconstructing the cognitive dissonance associated with psychological abuse – by a therapist familiar with the trauma.

Alternatively, a Zen Doodle or a drawing board can be used as a visual journal to express and release any intrusive ideas. Also, permit yourself to grieve the painful loss of someone who betrayed you.

Therapy will be important to guide you through a traumatic loss, walk through the stages of grief, and heal the trauma associated with this connection.

Reading Writing as Meditation: How to Enter a State of Flow through Diary

Healing takes time and is multi-layered. The above are just a few suggestions about the path to recovery. A lot of work gets done in therapy sessions and homework while you recover from trauma.

Once again, I stress the importance of working with a trained physician who is familiar with trauma, focuses on strengths, and specializes in recovery from narcissistic/psychopathic abuse.

We are there. We love helping people heal. It is an honor and privilege to witness the recovery that my clients are going through. I have seen the bravest and fiercest survivors rise from the ashes and rise, flying again in good health, inner peace, and wellness. So can you. Get started today!