The Challenge of Emotional Abuse

Sometimes as people we allow others in our lives that do not carry good intents for us. Sometimes that person may bring hurt or emotional abuse that only leads to heart aches and stress. Emotional abuse is usually not seen by everyone because there are no physical marks to prove what has been done. Children, teens and adults of all ages experience emotional abuse by family, colleagues, spouses, and friends.

Emotional abuse can also be known as psychological abuse or chronic verbal aggression. The abuse is defined as any act that humiliates, intimidates, verbally assaults or any other way that can diminish the identity, dignity or self-worth of a person. Personality changes and an act of low self-esteems usually happens to someone who is experiencing emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can be seen in many forms and there are various signs that someone may be an emotional abuser. There are three general patterns of abuse aggressing, denying, and minimizing. In aggressing the abuser will accuse others, name-calling, threaten, and blame others so they can seem like they are always in control or in a one- up position from victim. In denying the abuser will distort the reality of the situation and try to undermine what is really happening. The minimizing abuser will only minimize the events that happen, instead of telling the whole situation as is they make it seem like everything is minor or it happened because of the victim.

Signs Of Emotional Abuse

The signs of emotional abuse vary from situation to situation. Although each sign may not be seen in each case here are sign that are seen in most situations of emotional abuse:
• Yelling or swearing
• Name calling or insults; mocking
• Threats and intimidation
• Ignoring or excluding
• Isolating
• Humiliating and Belittling
• Denial of the abuse and blaming of the victim
• Making derogative or slanderous statements about an individual to others
• Withholding
• Demeaning an individual
• Telling an individual that they are too much trouble
• Being over-familiar and disrespectful
• Unreasonably ordering an individual around; treating an individual like a servant or child

Talk to Someone

As a human that always controls our own lives we do not have to tolerate negative treatment from anyone. Often, we allow people to stay in our lives that abuse us emotionally because we ourselves do not know how to cope with the abuse. If you feel that you are experiencing abuser or may be an abuser, then seeking counseling will assist in learning healthier ways cope and care. Talking to a counselor will assist with reclaiming your sense of self as well as being confident more about yourself. Counseling will also help escape the cycle of abuse and seek assistance for positive living.