5 Signs of emotional abuse

Abuse is "to use or treat so as to injure or damage" according to Merriam Webster. Physical abuse is the type of abuse that is easiest to identify because it involves a physical action. When talking about emotional abuse, for many it can be hard to readily identify when it is happening, because oftentimes emotionally abusive behaviors can fly over our radar when they are familiar to what we might have experienced in childhood. Here are 5 signs to look out for:

1. Shaming

Some examples are: "You should feel bad about yourself," or "Why would you do that?"

When shame is used, it tends to lead the receiver to feel wrong for being who they are, or wrong for how they think and act.

2. Criticizing

Being critical of someone in a way that is not constructive, and is cruel is a sign of emotional abuse.

3. Humiliating

An obvious form of emotional abuse is humiliating. This can be in public, or private behaviors that make you feel less than human.

4. Ridiculing

Name-calling, saying mean "jokes," and sarcasm are types of abusive ridicule.

5. Dismissing

When your thoughts, values, or opinions are dismissed, these can lead to feeling unimportant. This can lead to self-doubt and low self-esteem over time.

References:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abuse

https://psychcentral.com/lib/emotional-abuse-signs#signs-of-emotional-abuse