We don’t return to toxic relationships because we want pain. We return because trauma bonds make familiar hurt feel safer than unfamiliar peace. This essay explores the biology, psychology, and identity patterns that keep people tied to what harms them—and how to finally break the cycle.

Loneliness is more than an ache in the heart — it can harm health as much as smoking. For veterans and civilians alike, disconnection fuels disease. This blog explores why loneliness is rising and how small acts of reconnection can begin the healing.