Toxic Relationships and Gender Stereotypes

Prior to the most recent psychotherapy session, the patient formulated her key problem as the inability to start with a clean slate after having relationships with a mentally ill spouse who posed a threat to her and her little son. In other words, the woman whose case is discussed in the essay has difficulties in adapting to sudden changes (decidedly positive) in her lifestyle and still needs help to cope with post-traumatic stress and depressive episodes. The client’s case deserves close attention due to her psychological characteristics, such as emotional instability and propensity for self-aggression, which increase the probability of suicide-related behaviors. Among the symptoms indicating the presence of PTSD and depression are flashbacks that occur in stressful situations, posttraumatic nightmares, the feeling of detachment, the loss of interest in life, fatigue, and persistent sad mood.