How to Survive Mental Abuse

Icy Branches

Mental Abuse is extremely painful for any person to endure. According to Wikepedia "Psychological abuse, also referred to as emotional abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behavior that is psychologically harmful." [1]

The first step is to recognize that you are a victim of mental abuse and get out of this abusive relationship. The next step is to get counseling as soon as you can.

Things You'll Need

• Recognition
• Counselor
• Pen
• Journal
• Exercise
• Food
• Rest
• Sun
• Friends
• Pet
• Heal
• Visualize
• Give

Instructions

Steps to Survival

1. 

   Recognize you are a victim of mental abuse and end your relationship with the abuser (or limit the amount of time that you spend with the abuser).

2. 

   Immediately get counseling.

3. 

   Document everything.

4. 

   Exercise, eat healthy, and get sufficient rest.

5. 

   Spoil yourself, you deserve it.

6. 

   Let yourself heal.

7. 

   Visualize a realistic positive future for yourself.

8. 

   Get some sun.

9. 

   Get a pet if you can.

10. 

    Talk to a friend about what you are going through.

11. 

    Do something for another person.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a journal and document everything. Denial is very powerful. When you write things down, it is harder to escape reality. Realize that you are not at fault. Oftentimes a person who is mentally abused will feel sorry for the person that is abusing them. You can heal from mental abuse; you have that power within yourself if you allow this. You can be happy. Visualize positive things and talk to yourself in an uplifting manner. Make a list of all the things that have happened to you that have made you laugh the most. Make a list of songs that make you happy. Whenever you feel negative thoughts coming on, start to think of your lists and replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Helping others will help you feel better about yourself. Pets have a great effect on people, they are affectionate, and they can help through the healing process. Allow yourself to be angry when anyone puts you down, and stand up for yourself. Be strong, you will get through this. Avoid drugs, alcohol, and excessive caffeine. According to Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade (2005) "...the highest well-being was seen in those students who carried out all their acts of kindness on one single day on each of the six weeks of the study. Their well-being increased by an impressive 40%". [2] "Regular exercise may fight depression as effectively as prescription medication does, researchers say. According to a report published in the September/October issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, patients who followed a modest exercise regimen fared as well as patients who took the antidepressant known as Zoloft." [3] "In fact, some researchers are concluding that light therapy may help to alleviate SAD symptoms faster than antidepressant drugs. In a recent review of clinical trials of light therapy, Dr. Daniel Kripke and his colleagues at the Circadian Pacemaker Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego reported that light therapy benefits not only SAD patients but also people suffering from other forms of depression." [4]

• Be careful when you leave or end a relationship with an abuser. Don't do anything or place yourself in a situation where the abuser could physically harm you. Abusers will try to manipulate you and may get angry when they don't get their way. If possible communicate with the person over the phone instead of in person, for your safety. If you must meet face to face (which should be avoided), take someone with you or meet in a public place.

References

• 1. Psychological Abuse
• 2. Three Happiness Activities with Evidence They Work
• 3. Combatting Depression with Excercise

Resources

• 4. Summer Sun for Winter Blues
• Emotional Abuse: The Hidden Form of Maltreatment
• Psychological Abuse in Violent Domestic Relations