Ask Jigsaw: How do you recognise emotional abuse?
Ask Jigsaw: How do you recognise emotional abuse?
Friday, 17 July 2020
How can you tell when your being emotionally abused?
– Idkhelpmepls:)
Hi Idkhelpmepls:),
Recognising emotional abuse can be complicated. It can have lots of different names, like verbal or mental abuse, and it might have different meanings for different people. It’s really important to explore if we are being abused by someone so that we can protect ourselves, and get the necessary support.
Emotional abuse is systematic emotional or psychological ill-treatment by someone in our lives. It can be perpetrated by a parent, partner, carer or someone else that we have a relationship with. It can include manipulation, humiliation, aggression and intimidation that occurs over a period of time. We might notice warning signs in a relationship that could indicate it is becoming abusive.
Impact of emotional abuse
Emotional abuse has serious consequences for us. It can make us question our identity and self-worth, and can negatively impact our mental health. If someone in your life is making you feel this way, it is vital to get the right support. You may not be able to control their behaviour towards you, but how you respond is important.
Can you identify someone in your life that you trust to talk to? Read more about ways to ask for help here. It could be useful to speak to a professional about your experience. Women’s Aid for women, and Men’s Aid for men are non-judgemental support services that offer a free helpline and email service. If you are under 18, Childline can help. You can speak to each of these services via phone or email to help figure out what is going on for you and what is the best way forward.
No one deserves to be abused. It is brave to ask this question and takes courage to stand up to the abuse of any kind so I would encourage you to use the support that is available.
Take care.
Tom, Jigsaw Clinician
You may also like
