Spousal Abuse & Mental Illness
Spousal abuse, also known as domestic abuse, can happen in any relationship and in any stratum of society. It can bring immense shock and distress to a person’s life. Many times, it is difficult to stand up against such abuse and the victim is lost in pain and grief. Mental illness can be either a symptom or an outcome, or both, of spousal abuse.
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Reasons for Spousal Abuse
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There are many things which can cause spousal abuse. Aggressive or mentally unbalanced people assault their partners. A person may be over-stressed, in debt or unemployed and can lose his mental balance and take out his frustration on his partner. People who are insecure with their partners abuse them out of jealousy and possessiveness. Also, people who witnessed domestic abuse as children in their own families often tend to repeat the trend and abuse their partners.
Spousal Abuse with Women
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Women are frequently targets of spousal abuse by their male partners. Many women are subjected to domestic violence and emotional abuse. Emotional abuse includes all means of degrading a woman’s stature, not exhibiting any respect for her, and treating her like a dispensable object. Emotional abuse is demeaning and shameful, and can have permanent and adverse effects on a woman. Women are also susceptible to physical violence.
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Spousal Abuse with Men
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Men are also assaulted by their wives, but this type of spousal abuse is generally verbal. Husbands may constantly be compared to other men if they are relatively less successful. The abuse often involves nagging and bickering by a wife so the man is emotionally traumatized. He may be harassed in various ways on many issues like property rights, money matters etc.
Signs of Spousal Abuse
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The clearest sign of spousal abuse is when a person is frightened of his or her partner, feels intimidated, and is regularly blamed for various infractions by the spouse. Victims of spousal abuse are frequently ignored at home, physically threatened or hurt by their partners, and subjected to their spouse's unpredictable mood swings and ill-temper. They may be treated as sexual objects and are disgraced time and again. Such regular criticism and humiliation is a sign of spousal abuse.
Spousal Abuse and Mental Illness
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Spousal abuse not only brings a feeling of rejection and immense shame to a person, but it can lead to mental illness. Being subjected to continual indignities leads to low self-esteem and can cause psychological imbalances. Fear of a partner can rise substantially if the abuse increases, and can ultimately affect the person’s mental stability and lead to serious post-traumatic stress disorders.
Dealing with Spousal Abuse and Mental Illness
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Dealing with spousal abuse can be difficult, as it is not always easy to abandon a partner or get out of a relationship. The support of friends and family members is required for a person to come out of an abusive relationship and to fight against stress issues and mental illness. Counselors may be enlisted to help people with their mental health and start afresh. Many organizations work actively to track the victims of spousal abuse and help them return to a more normal life.
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