Domestic violence is by and large still prevalent in many homes and it has a lot of bad effects on those affected by It. When we think about domestic violence we think about bruised kids or women with sad faces but domestic violence isn’t always physical. A lot of Domestic violence is also mental.
A lot of those affected by domestic violence take considerable time to adjust to a normal lifestyle. Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD as its commonly known affects a lot of survivors. More than the physical pain and struggle that people are put through with domestic violence it’s the mental struggle that affects a lot of people. A lot of survivors aren’t able to trust others and approach people and ask for help. There is a sense of hopelessness and paranoia that haunts those affected. They feel insecure about their futures, a feeling of not being worthy to live or do much is seen in these individuals. They feel unmotivated to go about living their lives and just wait for it to end constantly. These make them more prone to other forms of violence in the real world such as bullying. They don’t mix well with people and lack the means to communicate well. These people shun themselves from the rest of the world. Sometimes their thoughts manifest as extreme forms of anger out in the real world. Even the smallest instances of something in the real world can trigger either depression, fear or anger In them.
The physical effects such as bruises, broken ankles and so on also have repercussions across life. People who have been subjected to domestic violence have been found to have a number of medical conditions. Chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, shortness of breath, sexual dysfunction, menstrual cycle and fertility issues in women, muscle tension and other conditions are prevalent. These all affect the quality of life that victims lead even after they come out of domestic violence.
People who have no feeling of self-worth and have an unwillingness to live then go on to decide that suicide or a form of self-infliction of pain Is way out of their misery. They also resort to using alcohol or drugs as a means to feel better. In many a ways it disables people from functioning and living normally. Those affected need a lot of time to heal and even the slightest disturbances during their healing process can leave them relapsing into their old ways. Children especially have a very tough time adjusting as these bad impressions are formed in them at a very young age and this makes their abuse and what they went through, affect their life throughout. It becomes ingrained in their minds as becomes a part of how they live and when they grow up they are more likely to face more problems such as getting into abusive relationships.
In no way should we ignore domestic violence as something trivial. It is a serious issue that affects people physically and mentally and leaves an everlasting scar on them that never fully heals.