There is this common misconception about abusive relationships only having victims that are physically harmed and scarred. It’s the kind of drama that you might catch on the news or on TV shows; wherein the weaker partner is physically battered and harmed by a more dominant partner. And yes, that’s a very common form of abuse and you must always make it a point to take a stand on it.
However, there is another common form of abuse and it’s much more subtle in its guise. You’re going to have to really try your best to keep an eye out for it so that you know exactly if it’s taking place in your relationship or not. The thing about this kind of abuse is that it creeps up on you; and before you know it, you are already playing the role of the victim without you even realizing it. These are the emotionally traumatizing types of abuse, and it can be present in your relationship if you don’t keep yourself guarded.
Yes, physical trauma can be very painful in a physical sense. But emotional trauma can be just as jarring to a person’s life. And the thing about emotional trauma is that there isn’t really any medicine for it. Once you are hurt on an emotional level, it can take quite a while before you are able to heal and recover from it fully. It can have just as profound an impact as any other kind of trauma or abuse that you can experience at the hands of another person. In fact, if you’re not careful emotional trauma can potentially taint your view of love for the rest of your life. And that would be quite unfortunate.
That’s why you must always make it a point to stay vigilant and guarded. You must always be on the look out for any potential red flags in your relationship. Remember that emotional abuse is very subtle and nuanced. Abusers are often very good at what they do and that’s why they find so much success in the damage that they cause in the lives of other people.
So how do you keep yourself guarded? Well, it all relies on you being able to weed out this toxic and abusive person in your life. You need to be able to distance yourself from them before they can make their moves on you. And you will be able to spot these people if you make yourself aware of the signs:
1. They always break their promises and commitments to you.
An emotional abuser is always going to keep you on the hook by leading you on. They are going to make sure that you have something to look forward to so that you won’t want to leave; but then, they never follow through. And you’re always just left to deal with your disappointment on your own.
2. Your friends and family tell you that you are being victimized.
When it comes to your love life, you always want to be calling your own shots. You always want to take ownership of your relationships. However, when those who love you express a genuine concern in your relationship, then maybe it’s good for you to hear them out.
3. You feel like your relationship is stuck at a dead end.
You just get the sense that your relationship is stuck; like it’s not going anywhere. You feel like your relationship has stopped growing and it’s because of all the toxicity.
4. You have recycled fights and arguments with your partner.
You just can’t seem to find a way to come to any sort of compromise with each other. You are caught in a cyclical argument that just doesn’t seem to end. You are always fighting with each other and it’s just generating more toxicity in the environment of the relationship.
5. You are guilted into thinking that everything wrong with the relationship is your fault.
You will be made to feel guilty. You will be made to believe that you aren’t doing enough for the relationship because everything bad that is happening is actually your fault. You will be made to feel guilty and remorseful for causing fictional damage to your own relationship.
6. You feel alone even when you’re in a relationship.
Even when you are in a relationship with someone, you don’t really feel a sense of companionship. In fact, you feel very lonely and isolated. You feel so cut off from everyone around you. You will feel like you are more alone than you have ever been.
7. You have a diminished sense of confidence and self-esteem whenever you are around them.
This is a common symptom of being in a relationship with an emotional abuser. You will be made to feel like you are a worthless human being who can’t really survive in this world alone. You will be made to believe that you NEED to be in the relationship to have validation in your life.
Help me. All truth.