World Mental Health Day

With yesterday being world mental health day here is an updated version of an article first published about a year or so ago about emotional abuse and the effect it can have on our mental health.

Emotional abuse can damage a person’s self esteem and confidence. People can end up feeling devalued and worthless, and the shame and secrecy of what’s happening usually allows the abuse to continue. Among the signs of emotional abuse are depression, anxiety, agitation, isolation, addiction or some kind of escapist behavior.

Although there are different kinds, emotional abuse usually falls into three patterns:

Aggressive: This involves blaming, accusing, threatening, name-calling, belittling, screaming, degrading insults or constant destructive criticism.

Minimising: This involves belittling consequences, isolating, accusations of exaggerating or inventing and offering solutions or ‘advice’.

Denial: This involves neglect, sulking, withholding attention, not listening to and distorting the other’s experiences.

Abusers tend to find it difficult to handle their own feelings and instead blame their problems on others instead. They never validate their victims experiences as that would be an acknowledgement of having done wrong but instead give a different spin on what has been happening, as if they are rewriting history. The aim being for the victim to question their own experiences.

Not only can counselling help those who have been abused regain a sense of autonomy and resilience but it can also help the abuser address their own feelings of fear and powerlessness.

If you would like more information or would like to arrange an appointment please contact Sentient Counselling using the contact form.

#worldmentalhealthday

Tags: counselling Belfast, mental health