Just because there is no physical hurt that doesn’t mean you don’t suffer with emotional abuse. In fact, emotional pain can be devastating and debilitating over the long term. An emotional abuser can send their victims to the edge of despair and keep them there, where they want them. The typical pattern for a psychological abuser is thus:
- Emotionally scar the victim to weaken their resolve
- Isolate the victim
- Have total control over the victim (the end goal)
When the abuser gets the one they’re abusing to where they want them, they get to influence almost every aspect of their lives. The only escape from this tangled web of lost identity is usually through emotional abuse therapy counseling and treatments.
Are You Emotionally Abused?
Emotional abusers can sometimes take many years to groom their victims into submission. The ways they do this are sometimes obvious and other times more subtle. They get to know what emotional cards to play and in which situations. Here are some of the more common:
- Accuses you of being unfaithful when there’s no truth to it
- Controls your finances
- Discourages or even prevents you from seeing friends or family
- Frightens you with loud, angry outbursts
- Humiliates you in private and in front of other people
- Monitors your every moves
- Threatens to harm themselves if you don’t succumb to their demands
- Threatens to inflict pain on you or others you care about
It’s not a nice list to read. And that’s just a few of the controlling tactics an emotional abuser might use to control and manipulate their victims.
What Emotional Abuse Does to its Victim
Emotional or psychological abuse chips away at the very core of its victims. Those who become affected lose most of their confidence and independence. They become compliant to the abuser’s demands and live a life that is limiting and lacking in quality and variety.
Counseling for emotional abuse in Grand Rapids, Forest Hills is well-established and offers numerous options for patients. Treatments vary depending on an individual’s unique set of circumstances. Call us today to find out what options we can offer to help you find your way back to a happier and healthier life.
