Due to gaslighting by others and societal expectations, it can be difficult to recognize abuse. It may sound silly but when your safe space is manipulation, bullying, and other types of abuse; you subconsciously learn not to trust your intuition. What’s unsafe feels right to your nervous system because it’s what feels familiar.
Learning to trust yourself when you see red flags is a good starting point. You are important and you are valid. This includes feelings and intuition. It may take some time for the signals you’ve ignored for so long to come back, but trust that they will if you are patient with yourself. In addition, make sure to check in with yourself frequently to make certain you are goin back on the correct path to mental wellness.
If it feels wrong (even in the slightest of ways), it probably is.
If you would like help understand the types of abuse or why you might keep finding yourself in the same cycle, please contact me here.