“It’s Not the Drink”: Why Substances Don’t Cause Abuse abuse awareness coercive control domestic abuse emotional abuse healing after abuse relationship abuse relationship psychology self-trust substance misuse trauma and recovery Dec 21, 2025

 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...

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When You Know Better, But Old Patterns Still Show Up attachment emotional patterns emotional regulation healing after toxic relationships healthy relationships personal growth relationship insight relationship psychology relationship recovery self-trust Dec 20, 2025

Let's talk about why insight doesn’t instantly erase attachment, and how to live from clarity anyway.

When old relationship patterns still show up even though you understand what happened, it isn't because you're regressing or secretly unsure. It's because insight changes your thinking faster than ...

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Why It’s So Hard to Trust Yourself Again (Even When You Know Better) boundaries confidence emotional recovery gaslighting healing after abuse psychological healing rebuilding confidence relationship recovery self-awareness self-trust Nov 09, 2025

After my last relationship ended, I couldn’t even pick a programme on Netflix without spiralling.
Every decision felt loaded: what if I choose wrong? What if this is another mistake?

It sounds silly, doesn’t it - crying over a remote control. But that moment told me everything I needed to know about...

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Why Toxic Relationships Make You Doubt Your Memory - And How to Trust Yourself Again emotional abuse gaslighting self-trust toxic relationships trauma recovery Aug 11, 2025

 “I swear you said that.”

“No, I didn’t. You’re imagining things.”

It’s a conversation you’ve 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...

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