To be a victim of verbal abuse for a long period of time leads not only to anxiety disorders but all sorts of mental and physical illnesses. Though its effects are as harmful as a physical abuse, verbal abuse is frequently taken for granted and ridiculed. Most people believe that yelling, insulting, bullying and treating others with disrespect is legitimate and think it doesn’t leave scars for life.
MORE: If These 4 Things Happen To You, You Are Bullied As An Adult
MORE: 5 Comments That Hurt People With Anxiety More Than We Know
Verbal abuse can slowly but surely break someone into pieces, damage them in such ways until their self-esteem utterly dissipates. This type of abuse can change a human being on a cellular level, even if it’s not accompanied by physical hurting.
Verbal abuse is extremely destructive, it cripples self-confidence and destroys self-esteem while affecting both sides of the brain, research shows. Continuous verbal abuse coupled with emotional abuse from a very young age affects mental development and can lead to numerous health issues.
These mental traumas leave scars that last a lifetime.
They can translate into PTSD, suicide, depression, chronic pain, anxiety, digestive issues or eating disorders. The short-term symptoms include zero self-esteem, loss of motivation and enthusiasm, overthinking, as well as difficulty in making decisions.
Closed environments disarm the victims, hence becoming the perfect preys for abusers.
The abusers choose to persecute their victims behind closed doors, where they have no chance of fighting back. They can either attack their interests and hobbies, blame them for this and that, make jokes on their behalf, belittle them, destroy their mood or manipulate them by name calling. They never take responsibility for their actions or apologize for the damage they do.
MORE: 7 Signs That You Are Emotionally Abused
They perpetually strike their soft spots, attacking everything that’s dear to them, never ever appreciate anything they do. They purposely make the victims feel like they are not good enough, regarding of their achievements. There’s no little wonder that victims of emotional abuse struggle with anxiety. Please share!
