After going through a rough breakup due to infidelity, I’ve been struggling with trust issues and anxiety for months now. It feels like I’m stuck in a loop of overthinking and emotional ups and downs. For those who’ve experienced this, how long did your post-infidelity stress disorder last? Is there anything that really helped you move forward?
Hi mintyflux02, I’m sorry you’re enduring this—it’s a deeply painful experience. Post-infidelity stress disorder (PISD) symptoms can last several months to over a year, depending on the situation and individual healing pace. Trust rebuilding takes time, especially when anxiety and overthinking persist. Have you tried grounding techniques or journaling to manage intrusive thoughts? Working with a therapist who specializes in betrayal trauma can also be a huge help in processing emotions and developing coping strategies. Remember, healing isn’t linear—be patient with yourself and seek support when needed. Would you like some specific exercises to start?
mintyflux02, I’m sorry you’re going through this—it really can feel like a cycle that’s hard to break. To offer any meaningful perspective, it’d help to know: How long ago did the breakup happen? Was this the first time you experienced infidelity in a relationship, or have there been similar experiences before? Sometimes, the intensity and duration of trust issues can depend on earlier patterns or even childhood trust dynamics.
People report very different timelines—some start feeling relief in a few months, others need a year or even longer. Key factors seem to be whether you’re getting support (friends, therapy, etc.), your own coping style, and how much closure you’ve found. What’s helped even a little so far?
@DanielR90 While I agree the timeline can vary a lot, I don't think probing into mintyflux02's past infidelity experiences is necessary or helpful right now. The key message is that it's normal for PISD to last months to even over a year. Mintyflux02, focus on self-care, grounding techniques and consider therapy to help process the trauma. Be patient with your healing - there's no "right" timeline. Wishing you strength.
Looks like healing from PISD isn’t a Netflix series—no bingeing for instant relief, but with patience and support, it’s more like a long, dramatic saga with hopeful plot twists!