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Click to listen to how to recognize emotional abuse signs
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Abuse takes on many forms and yet every single one boils down to complete control of the abuser over the physical or psychological – or both – person of the abused. In the case of the emotional abuse signs, the effect veers toward the psychological side rather than physical assault which many people commonly think of in cases of domestic violence.
Harder to Detect
It is then harder to detect the symptoms of emotional abuse unless and until you talk to the person and then get to know his circumstances in life. It must be noted that the male gender is used in this article for convenience purposes – his/her is unwieldy to use, to say the least – as well as to acknowledge the fact that both men and women can be victims of emotional abuse.
The difficulty in detecting the emotional abuse signs can be attributed to the following factors:
• The scars are on the psyche of the abused, which are neither visible nor detectable for the average person. Even professionals like psychologists and psychiatrists will be cautious in immediately labeling a person as emotionally abused pending further evaluation of his case. In contrast, physical abuse can be detected because of the unexplained bruises on the skin and the broken bones on the body, among other signs.
• Emotional abuse is minimized or overlooked by others as well as the abused person. Keep in mind that, if the abused continues to deny his engagement in the abusive relationship, then others are more likely to believe it is so.
• The abuser will not abuse his victim in front of others – no yelling, no shaming, no blaming and no name-calling in public, that is. This reinforces the idea that the abuse is not even happening because no one can see it.
Detection Is Possible
The good news in this otherwise gloomy situation is that the emotional abuse signs can be detected with close observation of the person possibly being abused. You will observe that the person suffers from lessened levels of self-confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. This is because the abuser chips away at these values until the abused feels that without his abuser, he is nothing.
Again, the main aim in emotional abuse is to control the abused. Such control can come in many forms including but not limited to the following emotional abuse signs:
• Belittling of everything pertaining to the abused
• Rigid control over the finances of the abused to the point where he earns but cannot use the money. Many abused persons even complain of being stolen from by their abusers.
• Isolating the abused from his family and friends.
• Sabotaging the abused person’s professional life.
Chat now with an online counselor to get the support and encouragement you need.
There are many valid reasons why a person can do all one or two of the abovementioned signs but if you notice anything unusual, then you should start considering the possibility of emotional abuse. For example, if your extroverted friend slowly becomes withdrawn from his family and friends since his relationship started, perhaps you can talk to him.
In the end, your ability to detect emotional abuse signs and then be right on the money is only helpful if and when you do something to help your relative or friend. Indeed, emotional abuse can be dealt with in a positive manner and you may well start start the conversation.


