They say that love is a beautiful thing, but when it’s in the form of emotional abuse, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, emotional abuse can leave deep scars on your psyche and your body both mentally and physically for years after you’ve left the relationship.
If you think you might be in an emotionally abusive relationship, consider these six signs, which might indicate emotional abuse:
1. They make you feel like you’re crazy
Abusers are extremely masterful in the way that they can convince us that we are wrong about everything – especially when they’ve done something to hurt us. They will twist reality and make it seem as though our perception of them is all wrong, that we’re somehow flawed, and that they’re the victim.
2. They always put themselves first
This is a form of emotional abuse because emotional abusers will inevitably blame you for anything and everything bad in their life or their feelings – even things like unemployment and problems with drugs and alcohol. Although it’s true that your actions may be contributing factors to their problems, emotional abusers will never take responsibility for personal choices that affect the relationship.
3. They use guilt and manipulation to get what they want
Emotional abusers are emotional vampires who are able to prey on your emotional weaknesses in order to make you feel guilty or manipulate you into getting what they want. For example, emotional vampires will play the victim and make you feel like you’re hurting them (when in reality it’s the other way around). They will twist your words and play with your emotions until they get upset, and then they use that to guilt you into apologizing.
4. Their moods are unpredictable and often volatile
Do they go from calm to rage in the blink of an eye? Do they blame you for their emotional outbursts? Emotional abusers are often moody and volatile, because emotional abuse is not only about what’s happening in the relationship – it’s also about how they make you feel. Their emotional state is directly tied into how you’re making them feel and how they make you feel.
5. They isolate you from your friends and family
Abusers will cut you off from the people who love you in order to gain more control over you. They do not want anyone else to know what they’re doing because emotional abuse is all about maintaining power and control over the victim. Emotional abusers want you to be dependent on them so that they can continue emotional abuse.
6. They’re extremely jealous and possessive
Jealousy isn’t necessarily a bad thing, even in relationships – but emotional abusers take it to the extreme. Abusers are often possessive of their victims because emotional abuse thrives on isolation, and if you’re allowed to spend time with friends and family they cannot isolate you as easily.
Emotional abusers not only have emotional problems – they also have serious character flaws. If you recognize these six signs in your current or former partner, know that it’s never too late to seek help for yourself and change the relationship dynamic. Never let anyone make you feel that you are anything less than amazing, even if it’s someone who once claimed to love you.
Do you recognize these signs in your current or former relationship? Do you know anybody else who might be experiencing emotional abuse? Share this post and comment below!
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