6 Signs of Emotional Abuse – PART II

Impact of Emotional Abuse

Studies show that the effects of emotional abuse can be just as serious as physical abuse. Imagine your wounds being unseen by others, buried within feelings of self-doubt, worthlessness, and self-loathing.

Severe and ongoing emotional abuse can lead to a complete loss of self-identity. As time goes by, being accused, verbally abused, called names, criticized, and gaslighted can really wear down your self-perception to the point where you can't see yourself clearly anymore.

As a result, you might start to align with the abuser and develop self-criticism. Once that occurs, you find yourself stuck in an abusive relationship, convinced that you will never measure up for someone else. At some point, you might start withdrawing from friendships and distancing yourself, thinking that nobody really enjoys your company.

Emotional abuse can lead to various health issues. Abuse can lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and even the onset of an eating disorder. Experiencing emotional abuse can also have physical effects on your body, such as stomach ulcers, heart palpitations, and insomnia.

Tips for Dealing with Emotional Abuse

Recognizing the abuse is the initial step in addressing an emotionally abusive relationship. Recognizing any signs of emotional abuse in your relationship is crucial.

Being truthful about your experiences can help you regain control of your life. Here are eight additional tips for taking back control of your life that you can start implementing right now.

• Put yourself first. Remember to prioritize your mental and physical health. Don't stress about trying to satisfy the individual mistreating you. Make sure to attend to your needs. Engage in activities that boost your mood and reinforce your self-worth.
• Make sure to get enough rest and eat nutritious meals. These easy self-care tips can really make a difference in managing the daily challenges of emotional abuse.
• Set clear limits. Make it clear to the abusive person that they are not allowed to yell at you, call you names, insult you, be rude to you, and so on. Let them know the consequences of choosing to engage in this behavior. For example, you can let them know that if they start calling you names or insulting you, the conversation will end, and you will exit the room. It's important to stick to your boundaries. This lets the other person know that their emotional abuse will not be accepted.
• Don't be so hard on yourself. When you've been in an emotionally abusive relationship for a while, you might start thinking that there's something really off about you. It's not you, it's not the issue. Choosing to abuse is a decision. Don't be too hard on yourself for things that are out of your control.
• Recognize that you can't change them. No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to alter an emotionally abusive individual by changing your actions or yourself. Someone who is abusive chooses to act in an abusive manner.
• Stay away from interacting. Avoid interacting with someone who is abusive. Simply put, if someone tries to provoke you, insults you, makes demands, or acts jealous, don't feel the need to justify yourself, comfort them, or apologize for things you didn't do.
• If possible, just walk away from the situation. Dealing with someone who abuses you will only lead to more pain and suffering. You won't be able to fix things no matter how much you try. Establish a network of support It might be difficult to communicate that you are experiencing emotional abuse, but sharing your feelings can make a difference. Chat with a close friend, family member, or counselor about what you're going through. It's important to distance yourself from the abusive person and surround yourself with those who care about you. Having a supportive group of friends and confidantes can make you feel more connected and less alone. They can also share honest insights with you and assist you in gaining a new outlook.
• Work on an Exit Plan. If someone close to you shows no interest in changing or improving their bad decisions, it may not be sustainable to stay in that harmful relationship indefinitely. It's going to start affecting you, not just mentally but physically too.

If the circumstances call for it, you might have to consider ending the relationship. Every scenario varies. Share your thoughts and ideas with someone you trust, like a friend, family member, or counselor. Emotional abuse can lead to significant long-term consequences, and it may also be a warning sign of physical abuse and violence.

Keep in mind that abuse tends to escalate when the individual being abused decides to leave. Make sure you have a safety plan ready in case the abuse escalates.

References

Office on Women's Health. Emotional and verbal abuse. Remschmidt H. The emotional and neurological consequences of abuse. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2011;108(17):285-286. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2011.0285