Emotional abuse was for a long time overlooked. Trauma was thought to be something caused only by extreme physical interactions, not verbal, emotional, or mental ones. Today, professionals and individuals alike understand that emotional abuse leaves scars, too. Growing up in an environment of emotional abuse creates lasting patterns of survival and adaptability. Learning to cope with a difficult childhood and develop new patterns of relating to the self and to others takes time. If you believe someone in your life might have suffered severe emotional abuse as a child, you might notice some of these behavioral patterns.
They take blame for things they aren’t responsible for: Codependency has many forms and is a common development for people who grow up with emotionally abusive parents. Trying to take the blame is a way of trying to make peace where there is none.They try to explain other people’s behaviors: “You don’t have to apologize for them” might be a statement that seems to be perplexing to the individual in question. Explaining for a parents’ behaviors is a way that children try to cope with a difficult reality in their lives and a painfully unanswerable question: why?They overthink everything: Emotional abuse creates an environment of instability which creates an internal environment of insecurity. When growing up in a world where nothing seems to be right or real, it is common to develop a tendency toward over thinking, over analyzing, and not being able to trust the self.They are perfectionists: Perfectionism is an attempt to please an emotionally abusive parent or authority figure in a way that will prevent further abuse. Perfectionists tend to set very high expectations for themselves, take on more they can handle, inevitably “fail”, then tear themselves apart for it.They cannot handle criticism: Emotional abuse tends to make someone feel like everything they do and everything they are is wrong. An emotionally abusive person will often make their attacks personal to enact the most damage possible. As a result, someone who grows up with emotional abuse becomes hypersensitive to criticism, having reached their tolerance many years ago.They think they are being yelled at during stern conversation: A sensitivity to criticism often translates to a sensitivity in normal conversation. Being “yelled at” isn’t necessarily about someone raising their voice. Yelling could mean hearing certain words, certain phrases, or perceived criticisms- even when the feedback is necessary.
Call The Guest House Ocala today for information on our residential treatment programs for traumas, addictions, and related mental health issues: 1-855-483-7800