At some point after a harmful relationship ends, most people arrive at a version of the same question. It might surface at 2am, or in a conversation with a friend who's trying to understand, or just quietly in the background while you're getting on with your day. And the question is some version of:...
One of the most consistent things people say after leaving a psychologically harmful relationship is that they weren't sure - and often still aren't sure - whether what they experienced was "bad enough" to be called abuse.
Not because nothing happened, but because what happened was complicated. The...
If you've ever found yourself completely unable to move on from a relationship that you know, logically, wasn't good for you - this doesn't make you irrational or incapable of making good decisions. You're experiencing the predictable psychological aftermath of something very specific. That somethin...
She didnât think of herself as someone who struggled with relationships.
That was the uncomfortable part.
Her life, on paper, worked. She worked. People trusted her. She made decisions all day long and rarely questioned them. When something went wrong, she knew how to assess it, adjust, and move f...
 Alcohol and drugs do not cause abusive behaviour.
They reduce inhibition.
That distinction matters more than most people realise.
Substances can impair impulse control, emotional regulation, and social restraint. What they do not do is invent values, attitudes, or belief systems that were not alre...
You flinch when someone raises their voice.
You tense when your phone lights up.
You apologise - again - for âoverreacting.â
And yet, deep down, you know youâre not trying to make a scene. You just feel it - the tight chest, the racing heart, the split-second panic that doesnât seem to match whatâs...
You finally did it.
You left.
The relationship that drained you, broke you down, or made you doubt yourself is now behind you.
So why does it hurt so much?
Why does your chest feel hollow, the silence deafening, the loneliness unbearable?
Letâs be honest: leaving doesnât always feel like instant f...
 âI swear you said that.â
âNo, I didnât. Youâre imagining things.â
Itâs a conversation youâve had before - and it leaves you rattled.
You know you remember it. You can hear their voice saying the words.
But when they deny it with such certainty⌠a crack of doubt sneaks in.
Maybe I did get it wron...
Hello to my healthy relationship friends!
Welcome to Love, Decoded
Breaking down the science and psychology of relationships.
You know how relationships can make us feel on top of the world one minute⌠and like weâve completely lost ourselves the next?
Youâre not imagining it - love can be compl...
