Tag: #mindfulness

How the Sunk Cost Trap Operates in Predatory Relationships

Dopamine Finds a Familiar Path The reward circuits light up — not from novelty, but from recognition. The brain remembers every shared laugh, every rescue, every late-night talk. Now it attaches desire to the same neural pathways that once held comfort. Excitement without fear. That’s rare chemistry.

Predatory people intentionally front-load the relationship so you invest early, and they invest little.This creates psychological pressure that traps you later. Here’s how it usually works: ⭐ Phase 1 — “Hooking” You With Intensity They create fast closeness: Goal: You form an emotional attachment early.Your brain says: “We’ve started something real.” ⭐ Phase 2 — Getting You to Invest (Emotionally, Financially, or Practically)… Read More How the Sunk Cost Trap Operates in Predatory Relationships

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Relief vs. Calm — What’s the difference?

Relief Relief is a reactive physiological‑emotional state. It occurs when a stressor or threat diminishes or ends. For example: you finish a difficult project, get through an argument, narrowly avoid a danger. The tension, vigilance or threat drops and you feel “whew”—that’s relief. In nervous‑system terms, relief often means that your sympathetic (“fight/flight/alert”) system was active or… Read More Relief vs. Calm — What’s the difference?

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When Relief Feels Like Love

When you’ve experienced emotional neglect, betrayal, or manipulation, your body adapts before your mind does. Your attachment system—designed to seek safety and predictability—lowers its standards. What once counted as “basic decency” starts to feel like security. The nervous system quietly revises the rules. In this state, not being hurt can register as being loved. When someone is merely… Read More When Relief Feels Like Love

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Why Chasing Non-Responsive Partners is Unhealthy: A Neuroscience Perspective

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner © 2025 Linda Carol Turner. Content protected by copyright.
Reproduction or redistribution in any form requires prior written permission from the author.
When quoting or referencing, please cite: Linda Carol Turner, Psychology & Neuroscience Insights.

1. The Stress Response and Uncertainty Result: You feel anxious, obsessed, and caught in a loop — waiting for approval or contact. 2. Mirror Neurons and Emotional Empathy 3. The Reward System and Intermittent Reinforcement 4. Prefrontal Cortex vs. Emotional Hijacking 5. Cognitive Patterns That Maintain the Loop These cognitive patterns strengthen neural circuits tied to attachment… Read More Why Chasing Non-Responsive Partners is Unhealthy: A Neuroscience Perspective

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Reframing the Revelation: Transforming Truth into Growth and Freedom

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

When a hidden truth or secret is revealed, the natural reaction is often shock, anger, or grief. But reframing the experience can transform it from trauma into empowerment, insight, and personal growth. 1. The Gift of Awareness 2. An Opportunity for Growth 3. A Chance to Reclaim Your Life 4. Additional Deep Reframes Truth as a… Read More Reframing the Revelation: Transforming Truth into Growth and Freedom

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Neuroscience Behind Reduced Mirror-Neuron Activity (Expanded)

©Linda C J Turner

Reduced mirror-neuron activation doesn’t mean someone is “bad” — it means their brain processes emotional signals differently.Below is a fuller breakdown of how this happens and why. 1. Avoidant Attachment Styles People with avoidant attachment learned early that emotional closeness felt unsafe or overwhelming. Brain mechanisms: Behavioural effects: Avoidance is a protective reflex, not a conscious decision.… Read More Neuroscience Behind Reduced Mirror-Neuron Activity (Expanded)

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Neuroscience Behind People Who Leave You Hanging

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment

1. Avoidant Attachment & Threat Perception People who disappear, delay responses, or keep you waiting often have an avoidant attachment style.To them, closeness feels threatening — their amygdala (fear center) misinterprets emotional intimacy as loss of control or loss of independence. Brain mechanism: So the silence or unpredictability is not deep thinking — it’s avoidance triggered by fear.… Read More Neuroscience Behind People Who Leave You Hanging

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Neuroscience and Psychology of Re-Learning Healthy Relationships After Abuse

1. Trauma Rewires the Brain Result: Survivors may feel anxious or mistrustful even in genuinely safe situations. This explains why instinctive judgement about what is “right” or “healthy” in relationships can be impaired. 2. Confusing Safety with Danger 3. Neuroplasticity and Healing Key point: Cognitive understanding (“I know this is safe”) is insufficient; the nervous system must physically… Read More Neuroscience and Psychology of Re-Learning Healthy Relationships After Abuse

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Neuroscience and Psychology Behind “Walls” and Letting Go

1. The Closed-Off Partner – Emotional Walls 2. The Persistent Partner – Reaching Out 3. Letting Go – Choosing Yourself 4. Emotional Freedom 5. Love Needs a Home, Not a Fortress Summary When someone “won’t let you in,” their behaviour is often: Letting go is not failure — it is a conscious, adaptive choice to protect your… Read More Neuroscience and Psychology Behind “Walls” and Letting Go

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Why They Complain About You “Not Selling the House” While They Keep Removing the For-Sale Signs — Neuroscience + Abuse Dynamics

This is not logical behaviour; it is control-based behaviour.Removing “For Sale” signs while accusing you of blocking the sale is a classic pattern seen in coercive control, pathological insecurity, and individuals who cannot tolerate loss of power. Below is what this behaviour typically means. 1. Cognitive Dissonance (“Two Opposite Beliefs at Once”) The brain cannot reconcile the… Read More Why They Complain About You “Not Selling the House” While They Keep Removing the For-Sale Signs — Neuroscience + Abuse Dynamics

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