Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is a pattern of non-physical behaviours, such as insults, manipulation or constant criticism, used by an abuser to intentionally sabotage the victim's self-worth and make them doubt their own reality. Emotional abuse doesn’t leave visible scars, but it’s just as damaging as physical abuse, often leading to PTSD.
Signs of
Emotional Abuse
Oftentimes, emotional abuse is subtle; even the most capable people can miss the signs. Common signs include jealousy, dismissiveness and belittling accomplishments. The victim will likely be withdrawn and potentially have insomnia and low self-esteem.
Who Can Experience Emotional Abuse?
Emotional abuse can happen to anybody, but certain groups of people are at a higher risk. For example, people who have previously experienced abuse, have mental health problems or are dependent upon a carer are at a higher risk. It often occurs alongside other forms of abuse, making it harder to recognise.
Breaking Free from Emotional Abuse
Healing from emotional abuse takes time, but support is available. Therapy, support groups, and trusted friends can help survivors rebuild their confidence and their sense of self. You are not alone, and recovery is possible. If you need mental health support, contact your GP to arrange counselling. The Available Services page has a list of contact support services.
So what does emotional abuse look like?
This is manipulative tactic where the abuser makes the victim question their reality or their memory. It can often look like the abuser insisting that they told the victim about an appointment or that the victim agreed to a large purchase, when these things didn't actually happen.
Public Embarrassment
This can look like picking fights, sharing secrets or making fun of your shortcomings in public places. This behaviour is designed to make the victim feel ashamed and embarrassed, eroding their self-esteem in the process.
Name Calling
Name calling is exactly what you'd expect it to be; calling a person derogatory names in order to intimidate them.
It could be really obvious, such as during an argument, or it could be dressed up as affection, such as "my bitch" being used as a pet name.
The Silent Treatment
Often used as a punishment for a perceived wrong-doing, abusers use this to confuse and isolate the victim. They’ll ignore any attempts at communication,
in person or otherwise.
Constant Criticism
Constant criticism is designed to make the victim feel as if they're never good enough and that they can't do anything right. It's another way for the abuser to gain control and isolate the victim. It can look like outright criticism or it can look like complimenting someone else whilst shaming the victim
"Joking"
When the victim expresses discomfort with something the abuser has said, the abuser will often respond with something like “God, you’re so sensitive. Can’t you take a joke?”. This will often have detrimental effects on the victims self-esteem and mental health.