The team at idontmind.com have written a great article on “trauma dumping”. A snippet of the article can be found below:

What is trauma dumping? 

Trauma dumping (also referred to as “emotional dumping” or just “dumping”) is when a person overshares their painful experiences with an unsuspecting person to get sympathy or validation. Venting crosses into trauma dumping territory when it becomes harmful to the person listening. 

To be clear, sharing your experiences doesn’t always equal trauma dumping. Put simply, the distinction is with consent, awareness, intention, and frequency. When you trauma dump, you’re:

• Doing it without warning or checking in with the other person first
• Taking up a lot of their time and overwhelming them with information
• Not open to their feedback or perspective on the situation — just their sympathy

Trauma dumping also usually means a lack of reciprocation. If you’re always unloading on someone, but you never ask them how they’re doing, and they never open up to you, then that may be a sign of a one-sided relationship — which is okay if it’s your therapist! 

Please take the time to read the full article at: https://idontmind.com/journal/what-is-trauma-dumping-and-what-are-some-healthier-alternatives