Emotional abuse – battering, bullying, harassment, gaslighting, withholding, verbal abuse and other forms – is both very pervasive and often harder to identify or get help with than other kinds of abuse. You can find that help and information here.
Emotional Abuse
Articles and Advice in this area:
Article
- Heather Corinna
The good reactions…and how they might not always feel so good.
Article
- Heather Corinna
Anyone you are disclosing to should respond to you with acceptance and belief, empathy, encouragement and support. Many people will.
Article
- Heather Corinna
Heather Corinna offers guidance on choosing people to open up to about emotional abuse, and how to talk to them about it with your well-being in mind.
Article
- Heather Corinna
It’s hard to tell someone you’ve been in an emotionally abusive relationship. Here’s guidance to help you get the kind of help and support you need from who you’re telling.
Article
- Gabrielle Echevarrieta
Gaslighting is a powerful abuse tactic, although a lesser known one. It is notoriously difficult to understand and recognize, especially for a victim.
Advice
- Amanda Seely
You say that you’re not sure whether or not to end the relationship, but it sounds to me like part of you knows that many aspects of your relationship aren’t healthy and that ending it is what needs to happen. It’s completely normal to have conflicting feelings about that, but it’s also important to…
Advice
- Sam Wall
I think you are reading this situation absolutely right. That thing he’s doing, when you reach out to talk and he requests pictures and then threatens to break up if you won’t? That is a truly manipulative and toxic dynamic. It’s also a major red flag in terms of a relationship being abusive…
Advice
- Sam Wall
As you have probably guessed from the title, I have some thoughts about what the source of the issue is, and boy howdy is it not you. Let’s look at an abridged version of events from an outside perspective, because when you’re in a relationship, with all the feelings that involves, it can be hard to…
Advice
- Robin Mandell
BeckisBack’s question continued: I’ve never been sexual with any of my boyfriends. I merely look for acceptance and affection in a relationship, and do the same for them in return. Another thing I will not do is exploit my body, and even though I trust him very much, I don’t want to send a picture…
Advice
- Heather Corinna
I’m so sorry that you’ve found yourself in what sounds like some big time bad-news dynamics. There are some things where not being in agreement isn’t a big deal, or is problematic, but not massive. However, having conflict about sex and reproduction like this, especially if one person refuses to…
