Why do we go back to people who hurt us Princess?.
Here's a list pick the ones ( if any ) that fit. We, as humans, are creatures of habit, meaning that once we develop a routine, it can be hard for us to break free from it.
For some, familiar pain is a source of comfort, so it comes as no surprise that those people find themselves in a constant cycle of hurt. Where this pain pattern stems from is unique to each individual. When pain is all you know, it can be challenging to seek alternative behaviours.
We are blinded by love. It’s easy to get caught up in a relationship, even when it’s toxic. Later, we’ll tell ourselves “Maybe they’ll change” or “Maybe things will be different this time” in order to justify going back.
The drama itself can be addicting for some people. One friend told me that she gave her ex another chance because she believed he had to make up for how he had mistreated her in the past. While people do have the capacity to change, more often than not a person won’t change their innate nature.
Because it's easy, Investing time and energy into a relationship is a lot of work, and the thought of starting over can seem daunting. Dating takes a lot of effort. Opening ourselves up to someone new inevitably comes with the potential to be hurt again. It’s scary, and that fear alone is enough to keep people at bay.
When we’ve made ourselves vulnerable to someone and labelled them as a person who knows us, it can be hard to categorise them as unsafe.
When you’ve had some distance from a partner, it’s also easy to romanticise the good memories until, suddenly, the bad memories are less significant. Repressing negative memories is a tool we use to protect ourselves from reexperiencing trauma.
Reviving relationships with people who have hurt us has to do with self worth issues. Trying to break free from a toxic relationship, and then returning to it, feeds and fuels an unhealthy cycle of low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness. These feelings can make us believe that we are undeserving of, unworthy of, or not good enough for a better love.
Lastly,, it’s not uncommon for people in toxic relationships to experience a sort of
“Stockholm Syndrome in which they begin to favour their abusers. Many people in this situation are convinced (either by themselves, by their partners, or both) that this is the “best” relationship they’ll ever have. Of course, this is untrue, and a tactic used to justify abuse and/or neglect.