How to React to Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse involves using one's power to harm someone else emotionally, including things like intimidating, frightening, embarrassing or humiliating a person. It also includes telling lies or sharing personal information about someone. Some people think emotional abuse is less serious than things like physical and sexual abuse, but the truth is that all types of abuse are harmful, particularly if they go on for a long period of time.
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Instructions
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Remove yourself from an emotionally abusive situation or relationship as soon as you can. Abuse frequently gets worse as time goes on. However, exposure to emotional abuse for even a short period of time can lead to depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem. If you have children that are being exposed to emotional abuse, remove them from the situation as soon as possible because emotional abuse is particularly damaging to children.
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Remain as calm as you can until you can remove yourself from the situation. Don't try to fight back because that often only escalates the situation. If emotional abuse is occurring in your home, ask if you can stay with friends or relatives until you figure out a long-term plan. If you're exposed to emotional abuse at work, speak to a supervisor, file a formal complaint or ask for a transfer to another department.
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Ask for help. Look in your local phone book for a telephone number for a local women's crisis line, rape crisis line or battered women's shelter. Licensed professionals or trained volunteers will answer the phone, provide you with immediate emotional support and direct you to other sources of help. If you live with an abuser, they will help you find a safe place to stay.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have a friend or family member that is being emotionally abused, it's natural to want to help. You cannot force someone to leave a relationship, however, and if you push someone too hard, that person may simply withdraw from you and not talk to you anymore about the situation. What you can do to help is listen, let her know you want her to be safe and provide her with telephone numbers she can call for assistance.
If someone that abuses you emotionally threatens to harm you physically, you need to get out of the situation or relationship right away. Even if he has never hurt you physically before, emotional abuse often escalates into physical violence. If you are afraid to leave, call 911 if you can and police officers will assist you.
