I ask the question, what does domestic violence look like, because it is often disguised in many other words that don’t really say domestic violence.
Those words are frequently stress, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress (PTSD). These words are the symptoms of domestic violence, its domestic violence that is causing it.
People ask for help with these symptoms but underneath is a cause. Not all stress, anxiety, depression or PTSD is a symptom of domestic violence but it should always be kept in mind when dealing with this. A person at first may seem as if their domestic life is OK but it can be just a façade.
Let’s face it there is a lot of shame, blame and guilt involved when there is domestic violence and it is often not revealed until the situation has become intolerable.
We often in this world address the symptoms rather than the cause. We treat the stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD without treating the cause. We hand out pills and potions and do processes that do not address the cause! A scientist by the name of Bruce Lipton coined the phrase, “it’s the environment stupid”. What this means is that we can address and cure the symptoms but if that person goes back to the environment that has caused the stress, anxiety, depression or PTSD then that person will go back too square one.
Treating domestic violence has to have two elements:
1. Changing the environment
2. Treating the symptoms
Changing the environment can be extremely hard, in a lot of cases it involves the person leaving family. A bad as it is there is still a comfort zone in being in the environment that you are used to.
The question is always what are you prepared to do to get out of the cycle of domestic violence