Betrayal Quotes to Help You Heal and Rebuild
Betrayal is painful. It hurts beyond belief.
Imagine putting all your faith into a person, every egg in the one basket. Then, in a split moment, everything changes.
Betrayal, as we will soon see, can take on many forms depending on the context. Family settings, intimate relationships, friends and colleagues – there is no line that cannot be crossed.
Quotes serve as an excellent method for optimising the healing journey. A single idea can change your life. Quotes are helpful for this very reason.
This detailed list hopes to provide comfort and guidance to all those who are suffering from the intense feeling of being betrayed.
Understanding Betrayal
“Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.” – Arthur Miller
What is betrayal? At its core, it’s a trust that has been broken.
What is the psychology of betrayal? Why does it hurt so much in a psychological sense? The answer is simple:
An expectation has been destroyed.
We have an idea of how things are, or how they’re going to be going forward. Then, in an instant, our vision changes. Our expectations are flipped. The truth is revealed; a newfound understanding of a person’s capacity is unsheathed. This is why betrayal (in some sense, the truth) hurts so much.
Betrayal Quotes on Trust and Pain
Quotes About Broken Trust
Broken trust can take a lifetime to rebuild.
“It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” – William Blake
“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
“It was a mistake,” you said. But the cruel thing was, it felt like the mistake was mine, for trusting you.” – David Levithan
“Everyone suffers at least one bad betrayal in their lifetime. It’s what unites us. The trick is not to let it destroy your trust in others when that happens. Don’t let them take that from you.” – Sherrilyn Kenyon
“We met less than a week ago and in that time I’ve done nothing but lie and cheat and betray you. I know. But if you give me a chance…all I want is to protect you. To be near you. For as long as I’m able.” – Marissa Meyer
Quotes About Feeling Betrayed
One of the worst feelings known to man.
“The betrayal of trust carries a heavy taboo.” – Aldrich Ames
“Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.” – Arthur Miller
“It is sad to see when someone you know becomes someone you knew.” – Henry Rollins
“For there to be betrayal, there would have to have been trust first.” – Suzanne Collins
“The worst pain in the world goes beyond the physical. Even further beyond any other emotional pain one can feel. It is the betrayal of a friend.” – Heather Brewer
Betrayal Quotes by Relationship Type
Friendship Betrayal Quotes
Friends are supposed to support you, not hurt you.
“Sometimes the people who are meant to love you the most end up hurting you the worst.” – Jim Butcher
“An honest enemy is better than a best friend who lies.” – Vandi Tanko
“I used to advertise my loyalty and I don’t believe there is a single person I loved that I didn’t eventually betray.” – Albert Camus
“False friends are worse than bitter enemies.” – Scottish Proverb
“Stab the body and it heals, but injure the heart and the wound lasts a lifetime.” – Mineko Iwasaki
Family Betrayal Quotes
Family should always have your back, no?
“Blood makes you related. Loyalty makes you family.” – Chris Diaz
“Sometimes blood isn’t thicker than water and family will cross you quicker than strangers.” – Lilo Abernathy
“Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it’s the place where we find the deepest heartache.” – Iyanla Vanzant
“It’s hard to tell who has your back, from who has it long enough just to stab you in it.” – Nicole Richie
“We’re family. And family will bind you like nothing else on earth. Family can support you or suffocate you. Sometimes both at once.” – Holly Black
Relationship Betrayal Quotes
Sometimes things don’t work out.
“If you spend your time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you’re allowing them to hurt you a second time in your imagination.” – Shannon L. Alder
“How can I love you if you’re always leaving?” – Audrey Niffenegger
“Love is understood, in a historical way, as one of the great human vocations – but its counterspell has always been infidelity. This terrible, terrible betrayal that can tear apart not only another person, not only oneself, but whole families.” – Junot Díaz
“Cheating and lying aren’t struggles, they’re reasons to break up.” – Patti Callahan Henry
“I could never hurt him enough to make his betrayal stop hurting. And it hurts, in every part of my body.” – Veronica Roth
How to Heal From Betrayal
Healing is a process that happens over time. But time is not actually the healer of all things; change is.
Changing yourself over time is what makes time a “healer of all things.”
Here are some practical steps to help you overcome betrayal:
- Feel your emotions. Don’t suppress anything. Feel the full extent of what you’re feeling. Then, let it pass.
- Seek support from close friends and family, or a therapist.
- Forgiveness is an option. Then again, be wise. It must come from a genuine place and cannot be forced.
Hopefully these steps can help you cope and heal from betrayal.
Moving Forward After Betrayal
Perhaps you can rebuild together. Maybe some new boundaries need to be set. Extract wisdom from past experiences to prepare for a better future.
Rebuilding trust can be done if the proper boundaries are put in place.
But it won’t be easy.
Final Thoughts
Betrayal is painful beyond belief, but healing is possible.
Use the truth as your guide and stay strong.
Don’t lose hope no matter what you do.
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