{"id":4486,"date":"2017-05-23T19:45:02","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T19:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=4486"},"modified":"2025-08-19T16:42:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T20:42:13","slug":"5-signs-emotional-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/safe-blog\/5-signs-emotional-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Signs of Emotional Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated: March 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jennifer Koza<\/em>
May 23, 2017<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survivors may experience many kinds of abuse. While physical abuse is frequently recognized, emotional abuse is also common but often less talked about<\/strong>. Emotional abuse can be used along with other tactics to exert power and control over survivors. According to a study<\/a> from The National Domestic Violence Hotline, based on their 2020 service data, 95% of contacts stated they were experiencing emotional abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand emotional abuse, we must first understand the difference between emotional abuse and conflict. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emotional Abuse vs. Conflict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To understand emotional abuse, we need to understand the difference between emotional abuse and normal conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conflict<\/strong> is a normal part of any relationship and is a healthy way for two people to express emotions, identify an issue, and have a chance to talk through whatever issue is bothering them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emotional abuse<\/strong> involves nonphysical behavior that belittles another person and can include insults, put down, verbal threats or other tactics that make the victim feel threatened, inferior, ashamed or degraded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When is Conflict Actually Not Conflict, but Something More? When is it Emotional Abuse?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever experienced the feeling of having a knot in your stomach when dealing with someone? Did something in your relationship just feel off? When someone feels scared, confused or like nothing they do will ever be right, this may be a sign of emotional abuse.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Emotional Abuse?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Emotional abuse is behavior from another person that makes you consistently feel badly about yourself, like you just can\u2019t be you. Emotional abuse is not limited to romantic partner, but can be perpetrated by a family member, friend or coworker. Emotional abuse can make you feel guilty, ashamed, silenced, violated, uncomfortable or many other things. Emotional abuse can be harder to identify since no one else can necessarily \u201csee\u201d its effects like they can a bruise, cut, or a scar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abusive behavior is often motivated by a desire for power and control but the reasons why that need exists varies. Maybe the person who hurt you didn\u2019t do so on purpose; maybe they did. While it\u2019s helpful to understand the \u201cwhy\u201d, the reasons are not an excuse for harmful behavior- but they can make everything more confusing. Emotional abuse is complicated and disorienting. Below are 5 common signs of emotional abuse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 Signs of Emotional Abuse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. They are Hyper-Critical or Judgmental Towards You<\/strong>\n