M
Meadowsweet
Its a term that I think is often misused or misunderstood. If two people are having an argument and call each other names or say horrible things, or sulk and give each other the cold shoulder for a while, that's common anger or hurt. It's reactive.
Mental abuse is intended to dominate and destroy the mental strength of the other. It's often quite quiet and subtle. It's the part of abuse where the perpetrator is the one acting like the victim because the you pushed him too far - he feels terrible for what he did because you pushed him too far. Or befriending people you know, being the charming, genuine person who no one would believe did those things - it's a way of isolating you mentally.
I was young in my first abusive relationship and he would laugh at me like I was crazy for expecting anything different from a relationship, and tell me that other women did or didn't do this or that and that it was quite normal, and it was me that was going on. Or he would say other women are stupid when they react this/that way, and that I wasn't like them. There's so many different ways, but it's the consistency that chips away at the mental capacity to recognise abuse.
It's very subtle, but the damage is very difficult to overcome. I've been trying to understand it.
Any thoughts?
Mental abuse is intended to dominate and destroy the mental strength of the other. It's often quite quiet and subtle. It's the part of abuse where the perpetrator is the one acting like the victim because the you pushed him too far - he feels terrible for what he did because you pushed him too far. Or befriending people you know, being the charming, genuine person who no one would believe did those things - it's a way of isolating you mentally.
I was young in my first abusive relationship and he would laugh at me like I was crazy for expecting anything different from a relationship, and tell me that other women did or didn't do this or that and that it was quite normal, and it was me that was going on. Or he would say other women are stupid when they react this/that way, and that I wasn't like them. There's so many different ways, but it's the consistency that chips away at the mental capacity to recognise abuse.
It's very subtle, but the damage is very difficult to overcome. I've been trying to understand it.
Any thoughts?