Trauma Dumping
We have all been there. You get in an argument with friends, and you’re ready to put them out of your life until they apologize or they do something that pushes you to the brink of your sanity. This is normal but can also be dangerous for the mental and physical health of you and your friends as it falls under being emotionally abusive. Trauma dumping is one of the more damaging things that a person can do and, unfortunately, is becoming more prominent.
What Is Trauma Dumping?
Trauma dumping is when you vent or dump your frustrations on someone else. You get so upset in a heated argument that you start to blame others and dump your emotions on them. The term comes from the field of psychology, where trauma refers to an experience that’s painful or difficult to deal with. Therefore, trauma dumping is when you dump your problems, fears, or fears on others.
Addiction to the Dumping
Dumping can be a form of addiction. This sounds strange at first, but when you are dumped on repeatedly, it can start to look like an addiction. This is because the symptoms of trauma dumping could easily be caused by addiction.
Emotional Addiction
When people trauma dump, they may feel like they’re getting the attention that they need. It’s possible that this attention makes it easier for them to deal with their problems. Emotional addiction is when people want to feel better, and they think that they can accomplish this by getting attention or having someone empathize with or feel sorry for them.
Physical Addiction
If you’re being dumped on, it’s possible that you have developed an addiction. When you get used to trauma dumping, you may start to crave it and find yourself in situations where you are trauma dumped on again. Drug addiction is a common addiction, but other types of addiction can also be harmful.
Recognizing Trauma Dumping
It’s important to be able to recognize trauma dumping in your everyday life. Here are ways to recognize when you or a friend are being dumped on.
Fights
The first symptom of trauma dumping is that it often begins in a fight. You or your friend are angry, frustrated, or stressed, and you begin to fight. You may yell at your friends, telling them it’s their fault. Or they may tell you things that you have done wrong in the past. This is where the trauma begins to be dumped on one another.
One-Sided
The second symptom of trauma dumping is that it’s usually one-sided. This means that the person dumping trauma on others is suffering due to something unrelated to you.
Compulsive
The third symptom of trauma dumping is that it’s a compulsive action. This means that your conversations with friends will often end up in an argument or fight, where you’re both venting each other’s emotions. If your friends say something hurtful or they make you angry, don’t take it personally. They’re looking for help and support and may not even realize that they’re doing this.
The Cycle
Trauma dumping is a hard cycle to break. Once you and your friend start, it’s difficult to stop. It’s a vicious cycle that can be hard to see how it began, but you must work through it.
Characteristics of Trauma Dumping
There is no definitive answer as to why some people become addicted to trauma dumping, but here are some ways to recognize whether or not it is happening in your relationships.
Dumpers and Dumped
Most friends of someone who trauma dumps will have been a victim at some point. This means that friends work together to dump on each other, but it’s not always the same friend.
Monogamy
One of the strangest things about trauma dumping is that it’s often monogamous. This means that you will have your friend to dump on, and your friend will have you. This can make your friends feel more comfortable and less lonely, especially if you dump on them more often. It creates codependency because you both feel needed.
Monotony
Trauma dumping can be a repetitive cycle that’s hard to stop. You may think that you’re helping your friend, but it’s only making things worse. Dumping on others can also cause them to get into the same pattern as well. This is because they have become comfortable with dumping on you, and now they need someone else to dump on.
Stress
Trauma dumping is often triggered by stress. When you’re stressed, it’s hard to think clearly. Your mind becomes cloudy and foggy, making it hard to see what you really need. Stressed people may want to trauma dump and may even do it more often.
Desperation
Trauma dumping can be a means of desperation. As we saw with the first symptom of trauma dumping, it’s often one-sided. Your friends want help and support, but you don’t realize this. You are the only person they can talk to, and that makes them feel better than they did before.
Acceptance
Trauma dumping is very hard to stop. It can cause both parties to resort to a cycle of trauma dumping. When you or your friend are dumped on, there’s often no one else to turn to. When you become a victim of trauma dumping, it’s possible to feel like you deserve it. You can start to feel that this is what’s happening to you because of who you are and not because of your actions. This can make you feel like you don’t deserve any better.
Effects on the Victims
We know that trauma dumping can have dangerous effects on the victim. Trauma dumping can be hard on your stress levels. You may find yourself becoming more stressed and anxious, especially if you’re being dumped on by someone close to you.
Rejection
You may feel rejected when your friend dumps on you. This is because you already had problems before the dumping began. You might have problems that they don’t realize, but you should discover them and deal with them yourself.
Exposure to Trauma
You may start to trauma dump and take it more seriously than you should. You might start looking for friends online and think that they need help constantly. This is not healthy behavior. If your friends need help and you are pushing them to trauma dump, you should get help for yourself first.
Relationship Problems
Your relationship with your friend could become more complicated. You may feel like you’re a victim, and this can make you feel uncomfortable in your own skin. You may find yourself wishing that your friends would stop, but it gets worse when they won’t stop. You might find yourself resenting your friends because they won’t stop dumping their problems on you.
Depression
If you’re a victim of trauma dumping, it can be hard to feel like yourself. Sometimes, you have no idea what to do. You may feel hurt, angry, or helpless. You might start to feel sad. The best thing to do is get professional help for yourself.
Drug Abuse
If you’re the victim of trauma dumping, it can be hard to find a way to cope with it. You may start to drink or use drugs to try and deal with your problems. This is not healthy behavior, and you should look for ways to improve yourself and your life.
What to Do If Someone Dumps on You
There are a few steps that you can take if you are being dumped on.
Be Patient
One of the most important things to do when you’re being dumped on is to be patient. Your friends aren’t dumping on you because they want you to go away or because they don’t like you. They’re dumping on you because they feel that way about themselves. Patience can help improve the situation.
Be Honest
If you’re being dumped on, it’s important to be honest with yourself. If your friend is telling you something that makes you uncomfortable, then you should articulate how you feel. These feelings will not go away, and they can lead to bigger problems if you don’t deal with them out in the open. You should be able to see the reason behind your friend’s actions. If you can’t, then it’s possible that you’re as guilty as your friend is.
Get Help
If you’re the victim of trauma dumping, you should get help immediately. There may be a few things that you can do to help yourself. You can find support groups online or seek out the help of professionals. The goal for you is to improve in the long run and improve your life in the process.
Get Help for Your Friend
If you’re the victim of trauma dumping and it’s getting worse, you should help your friend. You are the only person that your friend can talk to. This makes you feel responsible, but you should get outside help. The goal of this is to have your friend feel better and stop dumping on you.
What to Do for the Dumper
As mentioned above, trauma dumping is a form of addiction. If you’re the dumper, you need to do some self-examination. Here are some resources available to help you.
Support Groups
There are support groups available for trauma dumpers. These are very similar to the support groups for drug addicts. You may find that you need a lot of support, which is why it’s important to join such a group. Support groups will help you deal with your addiction and will help you find ways to cope without turning to trauma dumping.
Therapy or Counseling
Therapy is another effective way to stop. This will allow you to talk about your trauma and your feelings and cope with the hurt and the pain. It will help you to find alternative ways of dealing with these problems and escape this form of addiction.
Self-help Books
There are many self-help books available for trauma dumpers. These books can help you understand your addiction and how to deal with it.
Meditation
If you’re being traumatized by a friend, meditation can help. You may find yourself with a lot of negative emotions, and they may be making you suicidal. Meditation allows you to calm down and feel better. It also helps your body heal itself. You can look into meditation support groups online to learn more about meditation and how it can help you.
How Recovery Centers Help Trauma Dumpers
Many trauma dumpers join a recovery center, such as Blue Crest Recovery Center, to help them overcome their addiction. One of the best ways to do this is through group therapy. This helps you understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and how you can change it. It also helps you to get support from others. You will be able to meet people who are in the same situation and who know what it’s like.
How Recovery Centers Help the Victims of Trauma Dumpers
If you’re a victim of trauma dumping, then recovery centers can help you. Your first step should be to talk to the counselor at a center. Counselors will listen to you and help you understand your situation. They will then work with you to find ways to deal with the trauma that you have been through.
Trauma dumping is a serious issue, and it is serious when someone dumps their trauma on you. This can include drug addicts or people who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. If you are being traumatized by a friend or an acquaintance, then you need to know how to stop the trauma dumping.
If you or your friend need help with trauma dumping, Blue Crest Recovery Center is here for you. We will help you find ways to stop this addiction and improve your life. If you need help with trauma dumping or drug addiction, call us today to start your recovery journey.
