Abuse Hides in the Dark. Turn on Your Light.

Escaping Abuse Is (Always) the Best Thing to Do

Woman looking out over night city skyline from the hood of her car. She knows escaping abuse is always the best thing to do...but it is so hard!

Escaping abuse could be the best thing you ever do for yourself.

  • Getting out of an abusive relationship allows you to heal mentally and emotionally. There is no healing while living in abuse, only sustaining the mental health you have left (if you’re lucky).
  • Escaping abuse gives you the opportunity to follow your dreams without feeling guilty, oppressed, or forbidden from shining brightly.
  • Leaving abuse means you don’t have to worry about someone else’s mood when you get home. No one can shatter your good feelings on a whim.

There are a million other great things that you can experience when you’re out from under your abuser.

However… 

Escape Is Only the Beginning

Escaping abuse is only the beginning of your journey. Leaving is the first step in your process and it is a doozy! However, just leaving is no guarantee that your days of taking two steps forward and one step back are over.

I wholeheartedly believe that leaving your abusive relationship is your best option. However, if you are not aware of how hard it can be to stay gone, then the tough emotions you face, once you’re free, may scare you into returning.

Your therapist won’t tell you how hard it will be after you leave because they prefer that you escape the abuse (as do I). A therapist doesn’t want to say, “Okay now, let’s do this difficult escape thing so we can move on to equally tough emotional challenges…” No way. Besides, there is no way to be sure you will have any difficult emotional challenges after leaving at all. Why scare you into staying just because things may get tough in a new way?

I want you to escape abuse and use safety planning to get out of that toxic relationship! But I want you to be prepared for the emotional and mental challenges to come. Once you escape abuse, I want you to stay gone. You don’t need to go back when you know there is a light at the end of that tunnel. Get emotional abuse support online from a mentor before you leave so it’s easier to stay gone.

Featured photo by Pawel Szymanski