Intermittent Positive Reward Withdrawal

Congratulations! You’ve left the abusive relationship! Now, you are starting to have post acute withdrawal symptoms just like when someone…...

Congratulations! You’ve left the abusive relationship! Now, you are starting to have post acute withdrawal symptoms just like when someone stops using drugs or alcohol. Our brains have been conditioned by the intermittent positive rewards that the abuser would bestow upon us to live for those emotional highs when the abuser was actually kind or nice. It was a roller coaster of ups and downs. The highs were amazing and the lows were awful. When we leave that kind of relationship, we go through withdrawals. Our brain is wanting to know where those endorphins, norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline went. In the immediate aftermath of leaving the relationship we will think constantly of the abuser, we will have dreams of the abuser. No, that is NOT a sign to go back to the abuser. Your brain is trying to recreate the highs from when the abuser was “nice”. What can you do to overcome the effects of trauma bonding? Yes, intermittent positive rewards IS trauma bonding. So, what to do? You get with a damn good trauma therapist. You write down every rotten thing your abuser ever did and you read that list anytime your brain tries to take you for a trip down “memory lane”. You work on self esteem, boundaries, deal breakers, positive affirmations, meditation, you educate yourself on abuse and abusers. You gird your loins for the inevitable hoover. Eventually, your brain will adjust to the healthy self esteem and self worth and stop bringing the abuser up. As you heal from the intermittent positive rewards/trauma bonding, you must practice self care like a boss! Eat healthy food! Rest! Exercise! Start doing the things you used to love doing before you were in the abusive relationship. You must be gentle with you!

02-26-2023 The Ultimate Control

02-26-2023 The Ultimate Control

In this episode of We Need To Talk With Kris Godinez, Kris explains why dark triads decide to kill, either themselves or their families.

02-19-2023 Age Is Just A Number

02-19-2023 Age Is Just A Number

Have you ever wondered why disordered people delight in telling you that you CAN’T do the very thing you want to do? Have you ever wondered why age is such a big deal? Why abusers tend to discard their partners as they age and replace them with younger and younger partners? And what the heck is up with their fear of aging?

The first half of the show will discuss all of the above topics. The second half of the show Kris answers your questions about the above, and many more questions will be answered in this week’s We Need To Talk With Kris Godinez.

02-12-2023 B. E. T. R. A. Y. A. L

02-12-2023 B. E. T. R. A. Y. A. L

In this episode of We Need To Talk With Kris Godinez, Kris addresses the pain of betrayal trauma and how to effectively cope with the pain and the desire for revenge.  Kris also discusses how the trauma may be affecting current and future relationships. In the second half of the show, Kris answers questions from listeners.