Trauma Bonding and Stockholm Syndrome: Understanding the Psychology Behind Abusive Attachment

In discussions about coercive relationships and psychological manipulation, terms like trauma bonding and Stockholm syndrome often emerge to describe the powerful and confusing emotional attachments that can form between a victim and their abuser. While these terms are not formally recognised in the DSM-5 (the main diagnostic manual used in clinical psychology), they are widely used in public, therapeutic, and media conversations to articulate real psychological phenomena that many people experience — particularly in the context of abuse and control.

This article explores what these terms mean, why they are used, and how they fit into established psychological theory and clinical understanding.

What Is Trauma Bonding?
Trauma bonding refers to the emotional attachment that develops in abusive relationships where there is a recurring cycle of harm followed by moments of kindness, affection, or reconciliation. These inconsistent reinforcements — rewards that follow mistreatment — can cause the victim to become emotionally dependent on the abuser. Over time, this can result in deep loyalty, rationalisation of the abuse, and even protective behaviour towards the perpetrator.

Trauma bonding is not a disorder, but a pattern of psychological conditioning, underpinned by established theories such as:

Operant conditioning: Intermittent reinforcement (i.e. occasional kindness or relief) strengthens the emotional bond more than consistent reinforcement.

Attachment theory: Victims may develop anxious or disorganised attachments, particularly if the abuser also represents safety or validation.

Learned helplessness: The victim may begin to believe that escape is impossible, even when choices appear available.

What Is Stockholm Syndrome?
Stockholm syndrome gained its name after a 1973 bank robbery in Sweden, where hostages began to emotionally identify with their captors. The term describes a psychological survival response in which a person under threat begins to align with, defend, or even feel affection for the person exerting control over them.

Though it is not a formally recognised psychological diagnosis, Stockholm syndrome overlaps with the trauma bonding process. It reflects a coping mechanism under extreme stress — a way of emotionally regulating fear, powerlessness, and dependency.

Why Aren’t These Terms in the DSM-5?
Neither trauma bonding nor Stockholm syndrome appear as independent disorders in the DSM-5 or ICD-11 (the international classification system for diseases and mental disorders). However, the behaviours and symptoms they describe are genuinely recognised within clinical practice and often fall under more established diagnoses, such as:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

• Dependent Personality Disorder

• Adjustment Disorders

• Coercive Control, as defined in UK legal and safeguarding frameworks

So Why Do We Use These Terms?
The reason terms like trauma bonding and Stockholm syndrome persist is because they are accessible and descriptive. They help:

Survivors name and understand what happened to them

Therapists explain complex patterns in non-pathologising ways

Journalists and advocates communicate serious issues to the public

These terms offer a language bridge between clinical psychology and lived experience. They resonate with people, especially when the formal language of diagnoses feels too abstract or inaccessible.

Are They Still Valid?
Yes — despite not being formal diagnoses, both trauma bonding and Stockholm syndrome describe real psychological patterns. These responses are recognised by clinicians, used in forensic and safeguarding assessments, and explored in research on abusive dynamics. Their absence from diagnostic manuals simply reflects the difficulty of categorising complex relational responses into standalone disorders.

Understanding coercive, abusive, or controlling relationships requires psychological tools that reflect emotional nuance and power dynamics. Trauma bonding and Stockholm syndrome help frame how manipulation, dependency, and fear can override autonomy — leading individuals to remain in harmful situations long after the danger becomes clear to others.

At our clinic, we believe in using both evidence-based frameworks and accessible language to support clients through difficult psychological experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling with the aftermath of an abusive or manipulative relationship, support is available — and recovery is possible.