Emotional abuse includes a wide range of behaviours that cause harm to another person, despite the lack of physical contact. Withholding communication, shaming, humiliation, intimidation, verbal abuse, lying, blackmail, monitoring phone messages and isolating someone from others are just some of the tactics used by people who emotionally abuse others. Most of the behaviours of emotional abuse aren’t crimes. However, the effects may last longer and be ultimately more destructive than physical abuse. As a result, it can destroy happiness and self-esteem in the victim. Subsequently, it can have an impact on all of their relationships. At The Eaves our specialist counsellors, psychologists and psychotherapists can offer you a wide range of coping mechanisms tailored to meet your needs and can support you in working through the issues surrounding emotional abuse.
Emotional abuse, sometimes referred to as psychological abuse, is the ongoing
mistreatment of a person by another and can have a severe impact on a person’s life. It
can involve deliberately trying to scare, intimidate, frighten or humiliate an individual.
Emotional abuse allows the perpetrator to gain power and control over someone
through their language, behaviours and gestures, which over time erode the person’s
sense of self-respect, confidence and self-belief.
The causes of emotional abuse or reasons for their origins within a relationship can vary
for each individual; however, feelings of powerlessness, hurt, fear or abuse can often be
the case that these underlying issues can be linked with abuse, trauma, or traumatic
experiences experienced in childhood either by the victim or perpetrator. Often, these
are issues that have not been fully process or understood.
The signs of emotional abuse can vary greatly, but they may include; isolating you from
seeing family or friends, threats that the perpetrator will hurt themselves if you leave,
extreme jealousy, controlling behaviours, lack of respect for your property, clothes or
income, a noticeable drop in your self-esteem.
