Why the Duck Stayed With the Hand That Hurt It
🌧️ Why the Duck Stayed With the Hand That Hurt It (Understanding Trauma Bonding With One Simple Story) Let’s start with a story. A small, gentle story… but one that explains a very big truth about human emotions. 🦆 The Duck Story There was a little duck living in a backyard. It had a routine: a small pond, a few grains every morning, and the same human who fed it. One day, the owner came home upset. He threw something on the ground in anger. The duck got scared, confused, shaken. But the next morning, the same human walked out calmly. He fed the duck, stroked its head gently, and spoke softly. Kindness returned. Safety returned. Relief returned. For a few days everything seemed normal… until the next storm of anger arrived again. Fear → Comfort → Fear → Care → Fear → Love. A cycle was created. And the duck stayed. Not because it trusted. Not because it was weak. But because its brain couldn’t differentiate between love and relief. This cycle is what psycholog...