How to Take Care Of Your Mental Health After a Romance Scam

Falling into romance scams is a norm nowadays. It’s a widespread phenomenon, with 1 in every 4 women and 1 in 9 men experiencing some dating and romance scam. These scams can be physical, emotional, or sexual. 

Romance scams can take a heavy toll on a victim’s mental health. Although romance scams are more and more common, many people still don’t understand them. Because of this, victims of romance scams are often pushed to the shadows and forced to cope with the betrayal and abandonment they experienced in their relationship alone.

Types of an abusive relationship

Abusive relationships take many forms. They include the following;

• Physical abuse like slapping, choking, biting, or other aggressive responses.
• Emotional abuse includes gaslighting, bad-mouthing, intimidation, and separating the victim from their loved ones.
• Sexual abuse– However intimate you are with your partner, forcefully showing pornographic content or having sex- is termed sexual abuse.
• Financial abuse– You must be caged to stay in an abusive relationship. You may experience this feeling when your expenses are micromanaged or, worse, restricted from working though you want it.

All these forms of abusive relations eventually have a toll on your mental health. It’s imperative to get out of abusive relationships for the sake of your mental well-being.

But how do you get out of such abusive relationships? It’s never easy, but it’s quite possible.

The Vicious Cycle of Romance Scams

Once someone falls for romance scams, it can be difficult for them to form relationships in the real world. Instead, they fall into a pattern of getting scammed by romance scammers. This is because a relationship with a romance scammer can be considered extreme. Romance scammers make their victims experience extreme happiness and excitement, and extreme sadness and dread. Because they of this, real relationships don’t provide the emotional jolt that gets them emotionally engaged.

Five ways of getting out of an abusive relationship

Getting out of an abusive marriage or relationship isn’t as easy as it sounds. It results in a feeling of rejection and despair. Worse is what comes after leaving such a relationship. Some can go through this stage of recovery with grief, confusion,  and self-blame. For the lucky ones, this experience comes with a sense of freedom. “It’s like lifting the yolks out of our backs,” they say.

Sadly, many people leaving an abusive relationship may end up with poor mental conditions. Even to the extent of severe complications such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. So, what steps can you take to get out of an abusive relationship and avoid such eventualities?

1. Prioritizing self-care and self-love

You can end an abusive relationship today and go back tomorrow. Relapsing is easy if you don’t spend time processing your emotions. Understanding your emotions is essential in self-care and self-love, which allows you to build confidence. It also makes you feel proud for leaving the abusive relationship.

Additionally, processing your emotions allows you to internalize your weak spots, strengthen them, and avoid an abusive partner. 

2. Set firm boundaries

You can never imagine leaving a relationship when in it, even for an abusive relationship. Unlike going for a detoxification program, the withdrawal effect from a toxic relationship can take a toll on you. It can be overwhelming that you can easily cave into the relationship again. 

To avoid such scenarios, set clear and definite boundaries. You can set them up on your socials by blocking, deleting, or unfollowing your ex’s online accounts. Physical boundaries are also a good way of avoiding a relapse. Consider moving out to somewhere away from the negative energy.

3. Educate yourself

Just like the biblical saying, “my people suffer due to the lack of knowledge,” it’s the same with abusive marriages. To avoid such violent treatment, try educating yourself on abusive relationships. 

You can read on;

• Why do people fall in love with abusive partners
• Signs of an abusive relationship
• Why do people stand an abusive relationship
• The different types of abusive treatments
• What limits people from leaving an abusive relationship

Such self-enrichment strategies go a long way in getting out of an abusive relationship. 

4. Building healthier relationships

The most critical step in successfully moving on is building a healthier relationship. Remember, we are what surrounds us. Take time to reevaluate your past relationship. It will give you insights into what you need to improve to attract people with positive, progressive mindsets. In the long run, it plays a crucial role in avoiding abusive relationships. 

5. Ask for help

Sometimes asking for help is the most sensible thing to do. It improves the odds of getting out of an abusive marriage. Luckily, there are many channels you can use when asking for help. They include the following;

• Going for therapy sessions
• Organizations like One Love
• Domestic violence hotlines
• Interacting with other survivors through events, programs, and support groups
• Domestic violence shelters

Going through this challenging process with someone to share with makes it easier to exit an abusive relationship. It is because you have the support of a community that wants the best for you.

Bottom line

All the above types of abusive relationships play a crucial role in your mental awareness. So, analyze your relationship to know if it is worth leaving or if you’ll ride it to a happily ever after. 

With that said, I hope this article has illustrated a clear pathway to getting out of an abusive relationship. I wish you nothing but the best in your recovery process. You can make it!

If you believe that you might be talking to a romance scammer, the best way to find out the truth is to run a reverse email search. Use the search bar below to run your first search today!