How to Recognize Psychological Abuse

The first word that pops into people's heads when they think of the word abuse is physical. Even though you have heard the term “emotional abuse,” you probably didn't have as much of an idea of how to classify it as you would have with “physical abuse.” Emotional abuse is just as damaging and can wind up as the precursor towards other, more dangerous forms.

• Learn about how an emotional abuser presents themselves to the world. To others, they appear calm, collected and in control of their lives. They're seen as charming, authoritative and kind. The emotional abuser often appears the same way to their victim, which is why it's often hard for the abused to recognize that they are in trouble.


• Evaluate how your significant other or anyone else close to you acts. Emotional abusers resort to threats, ultimatums and jealous behavior. They use tactics to control you including telling you how to dress, not giving you a chance to visit friends and family and not letting you get a job. They may withhold sex until you do whatever they want you to. Emotional abusers criticize and undermine their partners. They believe their opinion is the only one that matters. Some emotional abusers choose to threaten their partners by telling them they will lash out with violence should their spouse disobey them.


• Recognize how you feel on a day-to-day basis in your current relationship. You may experience feelings of isolation, depression, physical symptoms of pain or upset stomach and fear of the other person. You find yourself afraid to speak your mind because your ideas are met with rejection. You feel a need to live in the moment because you have no idea of what's ahead of you in the future. Your spouse rejects any plans you come up with such as where to live and how to raise your children. You believe that you can't live without that person in your life.