Emotional Abuse Counseling – Counselors in Marietta GA
Lilly’s partner is often moody before she goes out with friends, and when she does go, he texts her constantly, preventing her from focusing on her friends. Yet when she is home and available to spend time with her partner, he often refuses. Though he does not hurt her physically, this constant cycle keeps Lilly in a state of uncertainty, which is its own form of abuse.
Similarly, Steven’s mother often embarrasses him in unnecessary ways, such as talking about his acne in an unflattering, public way. She talks about how her life would have been different were it not for his birth, and she rarely lets him hang out with friends.
Both of these are examples of emotional abuse. Though emotional abuse differs from physical abuse, it can be just as serious—if not more serious. The psychological scars can take years to fade, and more often than not they require counseling to do so. Thriveworks Marietta counselors are standing by to help you work through your experiences with abuse.
Emotional Abuse Counseling – Counselors and Therapists in Marietta GA
Many think of abuse as exclusively physical, such as hitting, but there’s a more sinister type of ill-treatment that is purely emotional. And that emotional abuse has different manifestations. In some cases, the abuse is very obvious—the abuser calls the victim names, threatens them, or is generally unkind to the victim.
Unfortunately, it’s not the only kind of emotional abuse. Perhaps more insidious is subtle abuse. Subtle emotional abuse is not always obvious, but it is always hurtful. A lot of sufferers complain that home life becomes too sensitive. They often quote the phrase “It’s like walking on eggshells” and this will be one of the reasons emotional abuse therapy in Marietta may be sought.
The Stereotypical Emotional Abuser
There is no stereotypical emotional abuser. It can be anyone, sometimes those who you would least expect. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not always the man doing the abusing. It’s not uncommon for women, both in their roles as a wife and a mother, to carry out the abuse.
An emotional abuser might use the following tactics to break down their victim:
- Constant calling or texting
- Relentless put-downs
- Domination and controlling behavior
- Extreme moodiness
- Guilt trips
- Humiliation or deliberate embarrassment tactics
- Ignoring or excluding you from conversations and/or events
- Isolating you from your friends and/or family
- Blaming you for everything
- Nasty jokes or persistent mocking
- Saying things like “I love you” followed by … but…
- Playing the “If you don’t _____, I will_____” card
- Threatening extreme acts if you leave (suicide, burning the house down, etc.)
- Never-ending sarcasm
- Refusal to show any signs of affection
To complicate the matter further, the emotional abuse may take on the form of economic abuse. Economic abuse includes preventing the victimized partner from working, the abuser spending on inordinate amount of the family budget on themselves, preventing the partner from seeking job training, and making financial decisions without consulting the victim (Mouradian). Economic abuse is very critical to many emotional abusers because it prevents the victim from developing the resources to leave the abuser. It’s also related to social isolation, since the abuser may be preventing the victim from working partly to prevent them from developing outside friends or interests.
As you can see, there are some pretty nasty strategies used by emotional abusers. Though it’s logical to link many of the above examples to romantic relationships, they can occur in other familial relationships and even friendships. Emotional abuse over a long period of time can result in psychological damage. That psychological damage can manifest as low-self esteem, depression, or trust issues, and may even cause physical pain, like headaches. Whatever the type of relationship, if any of the above sounds familiar, give us a call.
It’s important to take action before the trauma becomes deep-rooted in order to have the best chance at a successful future. Many have taken the tough first step, and you can too. It just takes one phone call to our counselors in Marietta.
There is Hope
Mental abuse rarely just kicks in overnight. This is something that tends to build up over time, often to the unawares of the victim. The mid to long term consequence of this is that the victims struggle to feel and function normally. Many withdraw from life as they once knew it and become distant in their relationships. In short, they can become trapped and alone in the world—but you are not alone. Thriveworks Marietta counselors are standing by to help you overcome your struggle.
In counseling for emotional abuse in Marietta, our therapists will help you identify a plan for leaving the relationship, if that is your desire. Just as important, our Marietta counselors will help you learn how to avoid these types of relationships in the future. Abuse is never the victim’s fault, and it’s important that we help as many people as possible learn skills for avoiding these unhealthy relationships. Finally, we will help you recover from any trauma caused by the relationship so that you may go forward and have healthy, fulfilling, mutually beneficial relationships in the future.
Thriveworks Marietta Emotional Abuse Therapy
Our Marietta, GA emotional abuse therapy center has helped to counsel many victims of psychological abuse. Emotional abuse is a serious issue that deserves to be addressed immediately, and for that reason we can usually get you an appointment within 24 hours. You’ll be so glad you took the first step on the road to recovery.
Sources
Mouradian, Vera E. PhD. “Abuse in Intimate Relationships: Defining the Multiple Dimensions and Terms.” National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center.
