Laboring to Love an Abusive Mate

If you’re questioning the dynamics of your relationship, you’re not alone. Emotional abuse can be subtle and insidious, often disguised as love or concern. Understanding the signs of emotional abuse is crucial for your well-being. Let’s explore what emotional abuse looks like and how you can empower yourself to seek help. What is Emotional Abuse? Emotional abuse involves behaviors that undermine a person's self-worth, emotional stability, and autonomy. Unlike physical abuse, which is more visible, emotional abuse often occurs behind closed doors and can be just as damaging. The National Domestic Violence Hotline emphasizes that emotional abuse can lead to long-lasting psychological harm. Common Signs of Emotional Abuse Manipulation : If your partner frequently questions your decisions or feelings, it may be a sign of emotional manipulation. For example, if they say, “If you really loved me, you would do this,” it’s a red flag. Isolation : An emotionally abusive partner may try to k...

Emotional abuse is often the quiet storm in relationships, leaving invisible scars that can last a lifetime. Many people find themselves caught in a cycle of manipulation and gaslighting, yet they may not even recognize what’s happening until they’re deep in it. So, what exactly is emotional abuse? It includes behaviors that undermine your self-worth, like constant criticism, belittling, or making you feel crazy about your feelings. It can be subtle, often starting with innocent teasing but gradually escalating into something much more damaging. For example, you might find your partner constantly questioning your decisions or making you feel guilty for wanting to spend time with friends. Over time, this can lead to severe emotional distress. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, “Emotional abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse, often leaving deep psychological wounds.” Recognizing emotional abuse is the first step toward healing. Reflect on your experiences. Do...

  Inspirational speaker and author Nicholl McGuire shares personal insight and important signs when you are being emotionally abused or someone that you know.  She lost her abused relative on July 2020 to a violent boyfriend who then turned the gun on his self.

Ever been frustrated when attempting to communicate your concerns to a partner?   He or she shrugs, fakes interest, or responds in a tone that brings out the worse in you.   Meanwhile, children couldn’t care less that the dispute was instigated by what they said or didn’t do.   No one heard the instruction, caution, or anger spewing out of your voice attempting to keep something from occurring days or even weeks prior.   The day goes on.   Mom is the crazy one and everyone else is sane. When your family doesn’t hear you, there are times where you have to be like an annoying fly until they do.   Of course, they will want to do what they can to make you go away, but persistent moms get the job done.   Whether they post reminders all over the house, call twice a day plus send texts checking in on their troubled children, or stand in the living room with a bullhorn to get everyone to stop fighting, Mom knows that some activities require undivided atten...

On this blog we discussed the emotional abuser, he or she is uncaring about one's partner's feelings.  However, I will share a bit more about the type of cold-blooded individual who has all three traits: emotionless, secretive and dishonest. You don't suspect this person to be this way when you first start getting to know him or her.  You overlook him or her being stiff or a bore at first because your date is seemingly interested in getting to know you.  However once the thrill is gone, so too is the personality! What you might respond or react to almost consistently the emotionless has no response unless you try to coax a conversation such as: "What do you think?  How do you feel about that?"  Any "normal" person would have at least a comment or a chuckle.  There is nothing coming from this person, you walk away and scratch your head. There is a mystery, something magical, at least so you thought at first about the emotionless person, who y...

Articles 21 Big Signs of Emotional Abuse You May Be Overlooking Is Your Current Relationship Emotionally Abusive ? | Playbuzz Quiz : Are You in a Toxic Relationship ? - Beliefnet Video/Audio You Are Not Crazy - Listen to What Verbal Abuse Really ... The Emotionally Destructive Relationship - Leslie Vernick - Host, Dr. Freda Crews The Self-Absorbed Partner, Video One Images 10 Powerful Photos Reveal The ‘Unseen Scars’ Emotional ... Fact Sheet: Emotional Child Abuse Powerful Images Show A World Where Verbal Abuse Leaves ...

It is about an image of perfection--appearing like all is well when it really isn't.  I get it.  I did it. You smile.  His relatives ask, "How's things?  You look good.  Glad to see you!  You both look so good together!"  If only they knew.  I saw this happen more than enough times in my life with different men (sigh). They don't have a clue what you went through the night before or weeks prior.  Their beloved son or daughter acting like a complete fool!  Screaming, hurling insults, acting threatening...you contemplated on calling the police.  "What has gotten into this crazy S.O.B.!" you think.  Your emotionally abusive partner may have thought the same about you too. Difficult people will tempt you to do some things that you thought you would never do.  They are hateful at times and harmful to themselves and others.  Sometimes it is a mental disturbance that drives them mad and other times its them feeling pow...

They don't think that they do, but they do.  People will idolize one another as well as things.  They love, worship, kill, steal, destroy, and more for partners.  Witnesses stand by and see the destruction.  They call them out on their foolishness.  But idol worshippers keep right on doing what they do. The presence of idol worship is in an abusive relationship .  Simply put, the abuser and victim put one another on a pedestal.  They think much about one another--too much!  Thoughts stream into their minds frequently about everything from what the other is doing to how he or she feels about him/her.  The thoughts play out like a roller coaster ride, a merry go round or a swing.  It is all fun, positive, sweet or nice until someone gets hurt again and again. "I miss you...I can't get enough of you.  When will we see each other again?  I want you forever..."  Sounds so wonderful, doesn't it? At least in the begi...

In my previous posting I shared a video of a 30 year abuser and there was much insightful information in that creatively done video.  But the thought came to mind after watching it, "Imagine how the woman felt or women that tried to stick it out with this guy...these ladies who thought that their efforts could change him."  As I've said before on this blog, isn't that what many people think when they enter into new relationships or remain in bad ones?  Ladies and gentlemen: You can't change emotional abusers and physically violent men and women.  They have got to want to change and usually without their enablers and victims by their sides. The newness wears off, the good times don't remain, the promises fall by the way-side, and the pain doesn't stay gone in poor marriages and relationships.  All the issues just linger on.  I remember feeling so frustrated in an emotionally abusive relationship (cheating, ly...

Before you met that man you call your boyfriend, lover, partner, or husband, you had a simple life.  You could manage it.  There wasn't much happening and you actually smiled more than frowned.  But these days, it becomes increasingly challenging to smile, laugh at his jokes, or even be in the same room with him.  For some of you, you feel like a part of you is a tad bit crazy, insane, or a bit weird since meeting your partner.  You're not alone.  Do you find yourself doing any of the following? 1.  Worried much about things like: whether he is telling you the truth or not, seeing someone else, or doing something he knows you don't like.  He is often quiet, beating around the bush when you confront him, ignores you, argues, or jokes. 2.  Looking through his things while your stomach and head aches. You are concerned about what more you might find. 3.  Thinking far too much about what he does when you are...