Traumatic Misunderstanding
Traumatic misunderstanding is a trauma response to being misunderstood by others.
Yes, traumatic misunderstanding can be a trauma response. It is a coping mechanism that our brains use to protect us from overwhelming experiences, often as a result of past trauma. This can lead to misinterpretation of situations, feeling threatened or unsafe, and difficulty in trusting others. It's important to seek professional help if you are experiencing this response to trauma.
Traumatic misunderstanding may be related to past incidents of:
gaslighting
parental neglect
neurotypical microagression and macroagression for neurodivergent people
chronic invalidation
You might have traumatic misunderstanding if:
you are preoccupied with how people think of you
if you miss the main point of what your partner is explaining when they mischaracterize you
if you frequently clarify your intent and purpose
How to challenge traumatic misunderstanding:
Accept the difficult truth that we cannot control how others think of us.
Use healthy coping skills to manage the intense anxiety and grief that comes with acceptance.
Build an accepting and positive (or minimum neutral) regard with yourself and your qualities.
Build and encourage relationships with people who are open to using soft start ups.
