Abuse is no joke. It happens all the time. To men and women. Check out The National Domestic Violence Hotline Facts and Figures in order to learn some more facts about sexual violence, teen abuse, child abuse, and general statistic about domestic abuse. I will by hyperlinking all sorts of resources under each point and will also provide some help hotlines at the end of this article in case anyone reading this needs them!
Emotional abuse is abuse. If you don't feel safe leaving them because of fear of physical harm please reach out to any resource who can help.
1. Gaslighting
GiphyAccording to The National Domestic Violence Hotline gaslighting is defined as; "an extremely effective form of emotional abuse that causes a victim to question their own feelings, instincts and sanity, which gives the abusive partner a lot of power." This is something that gradually happens in a relationship. As the website says, it may seem like a simple misunderstanding at first then it gradually increase causing anxiety and other symptoms in the victim.
2. They are controlling
GiphyThese type of abusers like to control everything happening in your life. It could be the things you wear, who you hangout with, a career choice or even ho you spend your time. Controlling behavior can tie into other warning signs of emotional abuse. If you have questions as to what qualifies as "controlling," then please check out Psychology Today's article on the 20 signs that they are controlling. (You can do this by clicking on the hyperlink).
3. They are destructive
GiphyAlthough they may not be physical abusers they are still very destructive people. They are the ones who will destroy your property when they get angry or upset. Thy may punch a wall or throw their phone across the room. Just be aware of these tendencies and keep them in mind. Hopefully it won't turn into physical abuse, but it can be possible.
4. Isolation
GiphyPeople who show abusive tendencies may often try to isolate you from your friends and family member. They may try to convince you that those people are the "bad guys" in some way, shape, or form.
5. Cheating
GiphyThe abuser may resort to cheating on their significant other just out of spite or in order to purposely hurt them. Cheating in general is a terrible thing and should never be done on purpose (I don't even know how it would happen on accident).
Note: the male in the cover photo is not abusive.
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- Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age ›
- 61 Signs Of Emotional Abuse (Including Mental And Psychological) ›
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- Emotional Abuse :::Anger, Resentment, Emotional Abuse:: ›
- Emotional and verbal abuse | womenshealth.gov ›
- Psychological abuse - Wikipedia ›
- How to Identify and Cope With Emotional Abuse ›
- When Is It Emotional Abuse? | Psychology Today ›