7 Common Examples​ of Stockholm Syndrome in a Relationship

Relationships can be confusing, especially when love and fear begin to blend in ways that are hard to name. Sometimes people find themselves holding on tightly to someone who hurts them… yet they feel even more afraid to let go.

Why does the mind do that?

How does affection become tangled with survival?

These questions often appear when looking at Stockholm syndrome examples in everyday relationships. It’s a pattern that doesn’t start loudly; it usually begins quietly, with small moments of comfort mixed into painful experiences.

And before someone realizes it, their sense of safety, loyalty, and judgment can start to shift. Understanding how this dynamic unfolds can bring clarity, compassion, and a gentler perspective to something incredibly difficult.

What is Stockholm syndrome in relationships?

Stockholm syndrome in a relationship happens when someone starts feeling emotionally attached to a partner who hurts, controls, or intimidates them. It may look confusing from the outside, but inside the relationship, it can feel strangely familiar… even protective.

How does that happen?

Often, the person clings to the rare moments of kindness, hoping they mean something real. Over time, fear, loyalty, and longing can become tangled together.

This dynamic can show up in dating, long-term partnerships, or even as Stockholm syndrome in marriage, creating a painful cycle that feels hard to understand and even harder to break.

7 common examples of Stockholm syndrome in a relationship

When a relationship becomes a place of mixed fear and affection, certain patterns start to appear… and they can feel incredibly confusing. Some moments may look loving, while others feel painful, yet the person stays emotionally tied to their partner.

These patterns often show up quietly at first, then begin shaping how someone thinks, reacts, and explains the relationship to themselves. These are some of the most common examples of Stockholm syndrome that surface in intimate partnerships.

1. Defending the partner’s harmful behavior

A person may find themselves making excuses for things that would normally feel unacceptable. They might say their partner is just “stressed,” “tired,” or “didn’t mean it,” even when the behavior becomes hurtful. Over time, the mind starts protecting the abuser instead of the self, creating a strange form of loyalty.

This happens slowly, often without the person realizing it. They may even feel guilty for being upset. These moments, painful as they are, can become one of the subtle examples of Stockholm syndrome developing in the relationship.

Here’s why it happens:

• The brain tries to minimize danger by reframing harmful behavior as less threatening.
• Occasional kindness makes the person believe the partner isn’t “truly” harmful.
• Self-blame becomes easier than facing the reality of abuse.

2. Feeling grateful for small moments of kindness

When someone is mistreated, even small acts of affection can feel overwhelmingly meaningful. A gentle word, a hug, or a rare apology may feel like proof that things aren’t “that bad.” The nervous system clings to these moments because they break the tension… even if briefly.

Eventually, the person waits for these tiny sparks just to feel safe. This emotional contrast becomes powerful and confusing, making the relationship feel harder to step away from.

Here’s why it happens:

• Kindness during conflict creates a strong emotional high.
• The person becomes conditioned to associate relief with affection.
• The unpredictability makes rare positive moments feel more valuable.

3. Justifying or minimizing the abuse

A person may tell themselves that the abuse isn’t “real” abuse or that they’re overreacting. They might compare their situation to something worse to make it feel more acceptable. This mental defense softens the truth, making the pain easier to carry.

But it also traps them in a cycle where the partner’s behavior feels less dangerous than it is. The process initially feels protective, yet it slowly chips away at clarity and self-trust.

Here’s why it happens:

• Accepting the truth feels emotionally overwhelming.
• Minimizing helps the person feel more in control.
• The abuser may repeatedly insist the behavior is “normal.”

4. Fear of leaving despite wanting to

Someone may desperately want to leave but feel frozen by fear, guilt, or emotional attachment. They might worry about their partner’s reaction or fear being alone. In some cases, they believe they won’t survive emotionally or financially without the partner.

This fear isn’t weakness—it’s a conditioned response that builds over time. The relationship becomes both the source of pain and the perceived source of safety, creating a painful internal battle.

Here’s why it happens:

• The abuser may threaten consequences for leaving.
• Trauma bonds create a powerful emotional pull.
• The person fears losing the rare moments of affection.

5. Isolation from friends and family

The partner may slowly limit the person’s support system—sometimes subtly, sometimes openly. Over time, the person may stop sharing concerns, withdraw from loved ones, or feel embarrassed to talk about what’s happening.

This isolation makes the abuser feel like the only stable connection left. Without outside voices, the relationship’s unhealthy patterns feel more “normal.” This lack of support makes it easier for examples of Stockholm syndrome to take root without being noticed.

Here’s why it happens:

• Isolation increases dependency on the abusive partner.
• The person fears judgment or disbelief from others.
• The abuser may actively discourage outside connections.

6. Believing the abuser provides protection

A person may start to believe that only their partner understands them or can keep them safe, even if that same partner causes harm. This belief forms out of fear, dependency, and emotional confusion.

The abuser may reinforce the idea by saying things like “No one cares about you like I do.” Over time, the person feels sheltered by the very situation that frightens them. It’s a painful mix of vulnerability and misplaced trust.

Here’s why it happens:

• The abuser alternates fear with reassurance, creating emotional confusion.
• The person feels too overwhelmed to trust anyone else.
• Dependency becomes a survival strategy.

7. Taking responsibility for the partner’s actions

Someone may begin blaming themselves for the abuser’s behavior, believing they “triggered” or “deserved” the mistreatment. They might try harder to be perfect, calm, agreeable, or forgiving to keep the peace. This self-blame becomes exhausting, yet it also feels strangely necessary for survival.

It creates a dynamic where they try to control the uncontrollable. These emotional patterns often become the clearest examples of Stockholm syndrome in intimate relationships.

Here’s why it happens:

• Self-blame feels safer than acknowledging the partner’s cruelty.
• The abuser may repeatedly tell them the abuse is their fault.
• The person believes changing themselves might stop the mistreatment.

Watch this TED Talk in which Dr. Janie Lacy explains how people fall into toxic relationship patterns and highlights three key steps for healing, growth, and healthier connections:

Can someone break out of Stockholm syndrome in a relationship?

Someone can break out of Stockholm syndrome in a relationship, though it often happens slowly and with a lot of emotional untangling. When someone has spent so long feeling fear, hope, confusion, and attachment all at once, stepping out of that pattern can feel overwhelming… even impossible at first.

But healing is absolutely possible, especially when safety and support start replacing fear and survival-based loyalty. Here are a few gentle shifts that often help along the way:

• Small moments of clarity that soften self-blame
• Supportive voices reminding them they deserve peace
• Learning what a healthy connection actually feels like
• Physical or emotional distance that reduces fear
• Realizing love shouldn’t feel like relief after danger

With time, compassion, and the right support system, a person begins seeing the relationship more clearly. They may rediscover their own needs, their boundaries, and their inner strength. And eventually, what once felt like survival starts to feel like a story they no longer have to live inside.

Reclaiming your inner safety

Recognizing these patterns can feel unsettling, especially when they’ve been part of your emotional world for a long time. But naming them brings a kind of clarity… a softness that reminds you none of this was your fault.

Healing isn’t a straight line; it’s a collection of small, steady steps back toward yourself. Support, patience, and honest reflection all help rebuild trust in your own instincts.

And as you move through the process of coping after Stockholm syndrome, you may slowly discover a sense of strength and safety that had been buried beneath fear for far too long.

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Callen Winslow Author

Callen Winslow is a passionate writer who focuses on the complexities of relationships and the human experience. Drawing on his background in psychology, he believes that everyone has the potential for personal growth and fulfillment... Read more in their relationships. When not writing, Callen can often be found indulging his love of art and sculpture or exploring his fascination with astronomy through stargazing. Read less