On social media, trauma dumping is sometimes called stress posting, sad phishing, T.M.I., or simply oversharing.
“Trauma dumping refers to the oversharing of difficult emotions and thoughts with others,” Dr. Prewitt explains. “It is not a clinical term used by mental health providers, but people who engage in 'trauma dumping' often share traumatic events or stressful situations with others during inappropriate times.”
“Venting and trauma dumping aren't clinical terms. They are words used to describe social dynamics,” he said. And to a certain extent, whether you're venting or trauma dumping depends on the listener and how they feel about what you are sharing.
Sharing trauma without permission, in an inappropriate place and time, to someone who may not have the capacity to process it. That's trauma dumping.
Lastly, it's important to acknowledge that trauma bonding isn't the same as trauma dumping, which is when we overshare overly personal information with friends, family, or strangers. Being a victim of trauma bonding is a state of emergency, not oversharing.
You can offer support and listen to their story, but you should also respect their boundaries. It is okay to feel uncomfortable when someone trauma dumps, and you can gently let the person know that you need to take a step back. You can also offer to find resources or support groups for them.
An effective way to stop trauma dumping in a relationship is to see a real therapist. These individuals are educated and trained to help their clients through various traumatic experiences and mental health problems.
If your sharing is pushing people away and if you're not sure if it's trauma dumping or not, look out for these signs: You vent about the same feelings repeatedly. You do not reframe, cope, or move on. You don't let others present their opinions or views on your experience.
“It's when someone unexpectedly off-loads their traumatic thoughts, feelings, energy and experiences onto someone else.” Many of us will have been in situations where friendly meetups have felt co-opted by someone else talking only about their problems, without leaving space for anyone else to express their feelings.
While venting can be helpful, Emotional Dumping can violate boundaries, create resentment and cause us to be stuck in cycles without awareness. For many people on the receiving end, Emotional Dumping is a form of connection that can leave us feeling drained, unseen, or resentful.
Most of the time, trauma dumping is not purposefully abusive or manipulative. It's more common for a dumper to be so involved in talking about their traumatic experience that they are unaware of how their story is impacting their listeners.
Mutual sharing for emotional support is one of the ways that people develop closer relationships with others. But, trauma dumping usually isn't a mutual interaction; it's a toxic kind of communication that involves one person getting their emotional needs met at the expense of someone else.
It is possible, real, and valid to experience PTSD after an abusive relationship. Living in a toxic relationship can take an extreme toll on mental health, and the negative effects of that relationship often last far after a break up.
Having social anxiety
Those who struggle with social anxiety are typically more prone to oversharing. When you feel anxious around other people, it can easily lead to rambling. You might also start oversharing because of low self-confidence or the need to please people.
Signs of Emotional Dumping
You feel spent, used, unappreciated, or stressed after a conversation with a friend or loved one. A friend or loved one call or texts you repeatedly and at all hours with their problems with no regard for your time. You feel like your conversations are always one-sided.
Trauma Bonds Create Chemical Warfare in our Brains
Reuniting and the love-bombing that follows then floods our systems with dopamine. Dopamine and oxytocin together strengthen our bond even more and ease our fear and anxiety.
Trauma bonding occurs when a narcissist repeats a cycle of abuse with another person which fuels a need for validation and love from the person being abused. Trauma bonding often happens in romantic relationships, however, it can also occur between colleagues, non-romantic family members, and friends.
Trauma dumping is one-sided and done impulsively. Intimacy building, on the other hand, is an ongoing, mutual exchange of personal information over an extended period of time, in which both parties consent and express a willingness to learn more about the other person.
“Breathing is one of the best strategies for managing your mental state while being dumped on by someone else,” she says. After you've escaped the overwhelming situation, devote some time to restorative self-care. Moffa suggests moving your body by taking a walk, exercising, or simply shaking or dancing it out.
This means you must be thoughtful about what you share, when you share it, and why. That means: Don't overshare and dump your emotions on other people without purpose or thought. That's emotional dumping or projecting, not vulnerability.
What is Toxic Venting? Toxic venting feels like an attack on someone's character. Whether you are the one venting, or you're listening to someone else do it, this communication makes the other person out to be “the bad guy.” This type of bad-mouthing becomes an intense form of gossip.