Emotional abuse: The short- and long-term effects Health ConditionsHealth ConditionsAlzheimer's & DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma & AllergiesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascular HealthCOVID-19Dermatology & SkincareDiabetesEnvironment & SustainabilityExercise & FitnessEye HealthHeadache & MigraineHealth EquityHIV & AIDSHuman BiologyInflammatory Bowel DiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men's HealthMental HealthMultiple Sclerosis (MS)NutritionParkinson's DiseasePsoriasisSexual HealthWomen's HealthDiscoverNewsLatest NewsOriginal SeriesMedical MythsHonest NutritionThrough My EyesNew Normal HealthPodcastsHow to understand chronic painWhat is behind vaccine hesitancy?The amazing story of hepatitis C, from discovery to cureNew directions in dementia researchCan psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?Why climate change matters for human healthToolsGeneral HealthDrugs A-ZHealth HubsHealth ToolsBMI Calculators and ChartsBlood Pressure Chart: Ranges and GuideBreast Cancer: Self-Examination GuideSleep CalculatorHealth ProductsAffordable Therapy OptionsBlood Pressure MonitorsDiabetic SuppliesFitness TrackersHome GymsGreen Cleaning ProductsHow to Shop for CBDQuizzesRA Myths vs FactsType 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood SugarAnkylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or FictionConnectAbout Medical News TodayWho We AreOur Editorial ProcessContent IntegrityConscious LanguageNewslettersSign UpFollow UsMedical News TodayHealth ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribe What are the effects of emotional abuse Medically reviewed by Lori Lawrenz, PsyD — By Jenna Fletcher and Beth Sissons — Updated on August 15, 2022Emotional abuse is a serious form of abuse. Emotional abuse is never the fault of the person subjected to it. Emotional abuse can have several long- and short-term effects. These might be physical, such as racing heart and tremors, psychological, such as anxiety and guilt, or both. Keep reading for more information on the different types of emotional abuse, its short- and long-term effects, and tips for healing and recovery. This article also discusses how to seek help. Types of emotional abuse Share on PinterestThe effects of emotional abuse can be both long and short term.A person may face emotional abuse from several different people throughout their life. Emotional abuse has numerous potential sources. These include:parentsromantic partnerscolleaguesfriends The sections below cover these sources of emotional abuse in more detail. Parental emotional abuse People of all ages can face emotional abuse, including children. According to Childhelp, some signs of emotional abuse toward children include:rejecting or ignoring a childtelling a child they are unloved or unwantednot showing or returning affectionshaming, belittling, or humiliating a childbullying or threatening a childyelling or screaming at a childisolating or confining a child from positive experiencesengaging a child in illicit or criminal actscalling a child namesnegatively comparing a child with others Relationship emotional abuse A relationship is still abusive if people face emotional abuse rather than physical abuse. People may be facing emotional abuse if they feel as though something in their relationship is not right, feel scared, or think nothing they do is right in the eyes of their partner. Signs that a person may be emotionally abusive include:belittling a partner, calling them names, or putting them downhumiliating or intentionally embarrassing a partnerthreatening to harm their partner or themselves if a partner leavesstalkinggaslightingcontrolling their partner’s actions or monitoring their phone and emailspressuring a person into sexual activitybeing upset when a partner spends time alone or with other peoplebeing overly jealous or possessiveblaming their abusive behavior on their partner Learn more about coercive control in relationships. Marital emotional abuse Marriage does not give anyone the right to abuse their partner physically, sexually, emotionally, or in any other way. The signs of emotional abuse within marriage are similar to those of emotional abuse within a nonmarital relationship and may include:isolating a person from friends and familynot wanting their partner to workcontrolling finances or refusing to share or give shared access to the other personwithholding affection as punishmentexpecting their partner to ask permissionthreatening harm to their partner, any children, other family members, or pets Emotional abuse within a marriage may make a person feel that they need to change their behavior to stop the abuse or that they have to avoid conflict and do as their partner says to stay safe. Emotional abuse in the workplace Emotional abuse in the workplace, or workplace bullying, can involve intimidating, undermining, or humiliating a person in the workplace. This may occur in front of other employees or customers. Emotional abuse in the workplace may include:criticizing or blaming someone for something invalidtreating an individual differently than othersswearing, shouting at, or humiliating a personexcluding or isolating someoneexcessively monitoring a person, micromanaging them, or setting unrealistic deadlines It is illegal in the United States to harass anybody based on gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability. Emotional abuse in the workplace may result in poor performance and have deeper emotional effects on a person’s self-esteem and self-worth. Recognizing the signs of emotional abuse There are several signs of emotional abuse to look out for. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, some signs of emotional abuse within a relationship include:using weapons as a means of threateningwithholding affection as a punishmentcalling someone names, insulting them, and continually criticizing themtrapping a partner at home or preventing them from leavingthreatening to hurt children, pets, or other members of a partner’s familydemanding to know where a partner is at every minuterefusing trust, such as by acting jealously or possessivelytrying to isolate a partner from their family or friendsdestroying a partner’s propertygaslightingmonitoring where a partner goes, whom they call, and whom they spend time withhumiliating a partnermaking accusations of cheatingbeing jealous of outside relationshipsserially cheating on a partner and then blaming them for the behaviorattempting to control a partner’s appearancecheating to “prove” that they are more desirable than a partnertelling a partner that they are lucky to be with themtelling a partner that they will not find anyone better If a person spots any of these signs within their relationship, they can seek help as soon as they are ready. If a person suspects that a friend or family member is facing emotional abuse, they can consult a healthcare professional or hotline for advice on how they can help. Learn more about the signs of emotional abuse here. Short-term effects on the brain and body The short-term effects of emotional abuse can impact mental and physical health. People may feel:anxietyshamefearconfusionguiltpowerlessness or hopelessness As a person deals with the emotional effects, they may also feel some physical effects of the abuse. These effects can include:frequent cryingmoodinessaches and painsdifficulty concentratingmuscle tension The longer the emotional abuse continues, the more prolonged these effects may become. Long-term effects on brain and body Emotional abuse, like physical abuse, can have long-term effects on the brain and body. These may include:loss of sense of selfdoubting self-worth and abilities, which may make it harder to leave a relationshipdepressionanxietysubstance misusechronic pain Emotional abuse in children may lead to:developmental delayslearning disabilitieswetting pants or bed (enuresis)speech disordershealth problems, such as ulcers or skin conditionsweight fluctuation or obesityextreme emotionsanxietysleep problemssocial withdrawalbecoming overly compliant or defensiveinappropriate behavior for their agedestructive or anti-social behaviorsuicidal thoughts or behaviors Emotional and psychological abuse have serious effects, and it is common for these types of abuse to turn into physical violence. Effects on personal relationships A person who faces emotional abuse as a child or in a relationship may have difficulties in other relationships. People who have experienced abuse in childhood may develop attachment disorders. This can make it difficult for them to create positive social and romantic relationships in later life. Learn more about attachment disorders in adults. Risk factors Risk factors for childhood abuse include:being under the age of 4 years, although abuse can affect children of any agehaving special needs that may increase the required amount of carehaving a caregiver with substance misuse issueshaving a caregiver with mental health issueshaving a caregiver who experienced abuse as a childhaving a caregiver facing financial stresshaving a caregiver who justifies violence or aggressionliving in a household with high levels of conflict and negative communication methodsliving in a household that is isolated from friends and familyliving in a community with high levels of poverty, violence, or crime Certain risk factors, or red flags, in a relationship may indicate that a relationship is or could turn abusive. These include:a partner behaving in a way that scares thema partner who is controllingtaking money or refusing to share moneyembarrassing or putting the other person downpreventing independent decisionsmaking threatspreventing the other person from working or attending schoolpretending that frightening or abusive behavior is not happeningbeing physically violentintimidating the partner threatening self-harmpressuring a partner into sexual activity, preventing birth control use, or pressuring them to take drugs or alcohol If people are experiencing one or more of the above red flags, they can contact a hotline or speak with a healthcare professional for advice. Seeking help People seeking help for emotional abuse can contact a healthcare professional, such as a therapist. People can search for a therapist dealing with emotional abuse through the American Psychological Association (APA) psychologist locator. Learn more about the types of therapy. Some ways to get help without professional intervention include seeking advice from trusted family members or friends. For children, a trusted teacher or school counselor may be able to help. They can also contact the Childhelp hotline. Support organizations or hotlines are also available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available to help those experiencing emotional abuse and other types of abuse. There may also be other local organizations available in a person’s community, such as a place of worship or a community center. People can search for programs, support groups, or shelters in their state here. Tips for healing and recovery It may take time to recover from emotional abuse, but by prioritizing self-care and getting support, recovery is possible. Some tips for healing and recovery include:getting adequate resteating a balanced dietgetting regular exercisefinding ways to relax, such as taking a walk in nature or listening to musicreaching out for help from family members, friends, or a health professionalreaching out socially to others, such as friends or coworkersvolunteering or starting a new hobbyfinding a support organization to reach out to, such as texting “HOME” to 741741 or connecting with a Crisis Counselor from Crisis Text Line Stop blaming yourself It is important for a person who is experiencing or has experienced emotional abuse to know that the abuse is never their fault and that no type of abuse is acceptable. If a person feels any shame or confusion over emotional abuse that has affected them, seeking help from an organization or counselor is important to get support and overcome any feelings of self-blame. Avoid engaging If a person cannot immediately remove themselves from the situation, it may help to avoid engaging with an abusive person if possible. An abusive person may want to provoke the other person into responding. This includes keeping a neutral facial expression and neutral body language and not responding to any goading. If possible, a person should try setting boundaries that make it clear that the other person will not get a response to that kind of language or behavior. Where possible, avoiding communicating with the abusive person may help create some distance. This may include not responding to telephone calls or messages from the person on social media. Summary Emotional abuse is never the fault of the person experiencing it. It can cause serious short-term and long-term effects for people facing it. Children who have experienced emotional abuse may continue to feel its effects into adulthood. These can include extremely low self-esteem, negative relationships, and other physical or mental health effects. Support and resources are available for people who experience emotional abuse. People can reach out to an organization, helpline, or healthcare professional. If a person feels that they are in any immediate danger, they can call 911. Last medically reviewed on August 15, 2022DepressionMental HealthAnxiety / StressSleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia 11 sourcescollapsedMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Emotional abuse. (n.d.).https://www.childhelp.org/what-is-child-abuse/emotional-abuse/Emotional and psychological abuse. (2021).https://www.womenslaw.org/about-abuse/forms-abuse/emotional-and-psychological-abuseHow to deal with emotional abuse. (n.d.).https://www.crisistextline.org/topics/emotional-abuse/#what-is-emotional-abuse-1Know the red flags of abuse. (n.d.).https://www.thehotline.org/resources/know-the-red-flags-of-abuse/Koza, J. (2017). 5 signs of emotional abuse.https://www.safehorizon.org/programs/5-signs-emotional-abuse/Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. (2019).https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/long_term_consequences.pdfRisk and protective factors. (2022).https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/riskprotectivefactors.htmlTypes of abuse. (n.d.).https://www.loveisrespect.org/resources/types-of-abuse/Understand relationship abuse. (n.d.).https://www.thehotline.org/identify-abuse/understand-relationship-abuse/What is domestic abuse? (n.d.).https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/what-is-domestic-abuseWorkplace bullying and violence. (n.d.).https://lni.wa.gov/safety-health/safety-research/ongoing-projects/workplace-bullyingFEEDBACK:Medically reviewed by Lori Lawrenz, PsyD — By Jenna Fletcher and Beth Sissons — Updated on August 15, 2022 Latest newsWhat sets 'SuperAgers' apart? Their unusually large neuronsOmega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlifeSeasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winterCDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future'Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? New clues arise Related Coverage8 ways to calm anxious thoughtsMedically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD There are many ways to calm anxiety. Tips include deep breathing, drinking less caffeine, and trying other relaxation strategies. Learn more here.READ MOREHow to tell if stress is affecting your sleepMedically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD Stress can adversely affect physical and mental health. One common result of stress is an inability to sleep. Insufficient sleep can increase the risk…READ MOREAll about narcissistic personality disorder What are the traits of narcissistic personality disorder? Learn about the noticeable symptoms and how to get help for oneself or a loved one.READ MOREFeeling numb: What you need to knowMedically reviewed by Marney A. White, PhD, MS Emotional numbness can occur when a person experiences severe stress or has a condition such as depersonalization-derealization disorder. Learn more…READ MOREWhat's to know about codependent relationships?Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD Relationships with other people are a foundation of human society. However, some romantic relationships involve an unhealthy and obsessive level of…READ MORE