Survivors are not naive. They are being conditioned.
Dear Colleague,
One of the most confusing parts of emotional abuse is how intensely loving it can feel in the beginning. Survivors often describe a whirlwind. Affection, flattery, gifts, fast commitment. It is intoxicating. And it is strategic.
This is love bombing, and it is not love. It is manipulation.
When the affection fades, bread crumbing begins.
The calls become inconsistent. The promises vague. The connection unpredictable. Just when the survivor begins to pull away, a sweet text or small act of kindness shows up. It reignites hope. But it never lasts. And the cycle begins again.
This is bread crumbing. And it keeps survivors in a loop of longing and doubt.
These tactics wire the nervous system to crave and collapse.
Love bombing and bread crumbing reinforce trauma bonds. The highs are euphoric. The lows are destabilizing. Survivors often internalize blame, wondering why they cannot stop wanting someone who hurts them. But the truth is that their system has been trained to equate instability with attachment.
Your role is to name the pattern and hold space for the grief.
Help survivors identify these dynamics using the Types of Abuse Worksheet. Validate their confusion. Reflect the cycles without judgment. And give them space to mourn the version of the relationship they were promised.
With appreciation for all you do,
#lovebombing #breadcrumbing #traumabond #supportsurvivors #emotionalabuse