Emotional abuse is a common type of abuse in close relationships. It’s also referred to as psychological abuse, and it includes verbal abuse.

Emotional abuse occurs when one person maintains power or control over another. It usually occurs between intimate partners or between a parent and a child. It can also happen in places like schools or workplaces.

There are numerous forms of emotional abuse, including:

• verbal abuse or threats
• controlling or taking your money, food, or transportation
• putting you down,
• insulting or humiliating you, or blaming you
• making you feel scared or threatened
• isolating you deliberately doing things to hurt you (bullying)
• being extremely envious

Emotional abuse in children can include:

• Neglect of emotions (not expressing love, not showing affection or not playing with the child)
• rejection or hostility directed at the child
• insulting or humiliating remarks directed at the child
• ineffective parenting (such as having excessive expectations of the child, or exposing them to domestic violence)
• not recognising the child as a separate individual (using the child to meet the needs or desires of a parent)
• Isolating or confining the child, or failing to provide opportunities for the child to learn, explore, or socialise with others, are all examples of child abuse.

Emotional abuse can have serious consequences for both adults and children’s physical and mental health.

What are the long-term consequences of emotional abuse?

Although emotional abuse is less visible than physical abuse, it can have devastating consequences for adults and children’s mental health and well-being.

Adults who have experienced psychological or emotional abuse have been linked to:

• relationship dissatisfaction
• Anxiety and depression symptoms
• Suicidal ideation,
• insomnia, and low self-esteem
• deterioration in physical health (such as migraine, indigestion, stomach ulcers, chronic pain and chronic disease)