Not all abuse is obvious like physical abuse. People who are in a marriage in Washington may feel like something is wrong in their relationship but not be able to pinpoint exactly what it is. The signs of an emotional or psychological abusive relationship are often subtle and wear down the victim slowly over time. It is important to be able to identify when one is in an abusive relationship so he or she can get out safely.
According to HuffPost Life, emotional abuse is confusing because it can seem like the perpetrator is acting in a caring way. The goal of this type of abuse is usually to gain control and power of the other person, and it can show up in a number of ways. While the physical effects, like bruises or broken bones, of physical abuse can go away over time, the effects of emotional abuse can have long-term consequences. These include problems with substance abuse, chronic pain, depression, PTSD and anxiety.
PsychCentral outlines a number of signs that are pretty good indications that emotional or psychological abuse is going on. Gaslighting is one in which the abuser uses untrue information to make the victim think he or she is wrong or forgetful. Other signs include:
- Refusal to talk about things
- Threatening to take love away if the victim does not obey abuser
- Purposely embarrassing the victim
- Isolating from others
- Using money or affection to dominate and control
- Constantly putting down or making fun
Once someone realizes he or she is in an abusive relationship, it takes a lot of work for the abuser to change and improve, and this rarely happens. Breaking off the relationship or marriage is often the only way to start fresh and escape the routine of abuse.