Here’s Your Low Down: What Is Emotional Abuse?

Abuse of any kind is about hurting someone for one’s own gain.

Abuse comes in may forms. Often people don’t recognize abuse for what it is. For some, the abuse is so regular, so much a part of their life, that it may be taken as normal behaviour.

Broadly speaking we talk about physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, verbal abuse and emotional abuse. There are more kinds, but these may be the most spoken about.

Emotional abuse is behaviour directed from one person to another that causes that person to feel bad about themselves.

There are many ways that people can do this. Some include putting the other person down; telling them they are not worthy or that they are unattractive, or that what they think or like doesn’t matter. These things that the abuser says can cause the target of the abuse to feel bad, upset, scared and as not holding value as a person.

If you are questioning your value, if you find yourself depressed, if you don’t feel good about yourself, it may be that you have been subject to this kind of abuse – emotional abuse.

Some people say they wish they were hit instead of emotionally abused because then they would have bruises to prove the abuse. Emotional abuse hurts on the inside, and doesn’t show on the outside.

If you think you may be the victim of emotional abuse, but are unsure, then speak with a counsellor. Many doctor’s offices these days have counsellors available in their office for free.

If you are employed, you can check if your benefits cover counselling. This is sometimes known as an EAP (employee assistance plan). You may also seek counselling from women’s shelters. You don’t have to use the shelter services to attend counselling there.