Can relationships cause PTSD?

Content/Trigger Warning: Please be advised that the article below might mention trauma-related topics that include abuse that could potentially trigger.

Relationships can be an enjoyable and beautiful experience for many people, but they can also be really traumatic for some people. Common types of trauma in relationships could be physical abuse, emotional abuse, among other types.  However, trauma can look different for every person and is not limited to those types of traumas. For example, one person could experience a bad breakup and heal from it, whereas someone else might experience the same type of breakup as trauma.  When we are in a relationship, we tend to put many stock and emotions into them.  Therefore, when something goes wrong in a relationship, it can have a huge impact on one’s mental health. 

When someone experiences trauma in a relationship, it can leave a mark on the brain.  This can easily be a form of PTSD for some people.  That mark that is left on the brain can impact the person’s future relationships. For example, if someone was physically abused in a past relationship when getting in an argument and they have PTSD from that, they will probably have a stress response in their body whenever they get into arguments with future partners.  Although their past relationship caused PTSD, they can hopefully learn helpful tools to help manage their triggers and have successful relationships in the future. 

PTSD is more likely to happen in a relationship whenever someone is codependent on the relationship.  It is perfectly fine to want a relationship to work, but when someone needs it to work at all costs, even when there are clear red flags, that can easily develop into codependency.  When someone is codependent on their relationship and something goes wrong, it is more like a nuclear bomb going off in their life rather than just being something upsetting.  Suppose someone can pay attention to red flags early on in the relationship and/or as they happen. In that case, that can hopefully prevent trauma from occurring, which can help prevent PTSD f A relationship can definitely cause PTSD. Sometimes trauma is completely blind-sided, but hopefully, pay attention to red flags as they happen to avoid trauma.