To have any type of meaningful relationship, you must build trust with the person. This is especially true when it comes to romantic and sexual relationships. Trust is the foundation that allows partners to be vulnerable with each other, knowing they will never be betrayed.
Some people struggle to build this sense of security due to past experiences.
If someone has been abused or neglected, it may take time for them to learn how to trust again. In this blog post, we'll explore how shared trauma can shape sexual and emotional trust.
Shared trauma is when two people experience a similar event together and are both affected by it. It could be anything from witnessing an act of violence or experiencing a natural disaster together to recovering from an addiction. The most common form of shared trauma is domestic abuse, where one partner is violent towards another. Shared trauma can deeply affect your ability to trust others, as it makes you feel like no one is safe. As such, it can also impact your sexual life, leading to difficulty expressing yourself intimately with your partner.
When you've experienced trauma in your past, you might find it hard to let go of the fear that it could happen again. This can lead to anxiety around sex, feeling unsafe during certain acts, or withdrawing entirely. If you're struggling with these issues, talk openly with your partner about what happened and why it's difficult for you now. They should understand that it's not easy to overcome something so devastating and should show patience and compassion while working through it together.
But shared trauma doesn't just make physical intimacy harder; it can also affect emotional intimacy. If you don't trust anyone because you've been hurt before, you might have trouble opening up emotionally to your partner or revealing vulnerable parts of yourself. You might even become jealous or possessive over them to prevent any harm coming their way. All of this can put strain on a relationship and make it hard to move forward.
To rebuild trust after shared trauma, focus on building a strong foundation based on communication and transparency. Be honest with each other about how you're feeling and what needs you have. Let your partner know when they're doing things that make you feel secure and those that don't.
You may be able to work through your fears and develop a healthy level of trust between you both.
Shared trauma can shape sexual and emotional trust in profound ways, making it more challenging to build closeness with others.
By communicating openly and working together towards healing, you can rebuild the trust necessary for a fulfilling relationship.
How does shared trauma shape sexual and emotional trust?
Shared traumatic experiences can have a significant impact on an individual's ability to form close relationships and establish sexual and emotional trust with others. When individuals experience trauma together, they often develop a sense of solidarity and intimacy that can be difficult to replicate outside of their trauma-affected community. This can lead to difficulties in establishing trust and closeness in new relationships as these feelings are not easily transferred from one context to another.