Emotional Abuse

Types of Emotional Abuse

So, there is more than one type of emotional abuse?

Just as there is more than one way to physically or sexually abuse a person, emotional/verbal abuse comes in many shades including: Abusive expectations, aggressing, constant chaos, denying, dominating, emotional blackmail, invalidation, minimizing, unpredictable responses, and verbal assaults. Below are just some of the characteristics of emotional and verbal abuse.

• The abuser places unreasonable demands on the victim to the extent the victim must everything on hold to tend to the needs of the abuser whether it is a need for attention, time, favors, tasks, or to be held hostage to their venting. Even when the victim gives into the abuser, it is never enough.
• The victim is subjected to constant criticism or berated because the abuser is not satisfied with the victim's ability to fill the abuser's empty feeling.
• The abuser is involved in name-calling, accusing, blaming, threatening, and ordering of the victim.
• The abuser acts in aggressive or passive-aggressive ways in order to solicit fear in the victim.
• The abuser invalidates the feelings, equality and autonomy of the victim.
• The abuser deliberately starts arguments in order to feel superior over the victim.
• The abuser is a "drama queen/king".
• The abuser denies the emotional needs of the victim.
• The abuser denies their behavior is abusive and makes light of the victim's feelings about it.
• The abuser can make the victim deny their very own perceptions, memories and question their sanity.
• The abuser gives the victim the silent treatment.
• The abuser wants to control the victim's actions, words, and feelings.
• The abuser wants to control who the victim sees, speaks with, and can even intimidate the victim around other people to control what the victim says to others.
• The abuser plays on the victim's fear, guilt, compassion, and values to get what they want.
• The abuser threatens to end the relationship if you do not go along with their demands.
• The abuser may deny or minimize the victim's feelings or memories of an event, with words such as, "You're too sensitive," "You're blowing it of proportion", or "You know that's not what happened."
• The abuser will trivialize accomplishments, beliefs, or anything important to the victim.
• The abuser will have drastic mood changes, sudden emotional outbursts, or engage in threatening behavior.
• The abuser will react differently at different times to the same types of events leaving the victim walking on eggshells not knowing what will set off the abuser.
• The abuser will make fun of the victim in front of others or alone.