Recognizing The Signs: Emotional Abuse Is Still Abuse
I never felt like I was being emotionally abused. Not when I was 17-19 years old dating my ex boyfriend. Not even when I was getting yelled at, spoken to like a child, cursed out, manipulated, or threatened that if I didn't stay, he would take his own life.
Though at the time I didn't have a label to put on it, I definitely knew he had emotional issues that often he took out on those closest to him or completely closed up altogether.
He also had a drinking problem and would beg me to take him to get alcohol. When I refused, he would berate me until I threatened to leave. When I tried to leave, he would threaten to take his own life. If I gave in and took him to buy alcohol, he would eventually berate me for taking him and blame me for him being drunk.
I felt like I was in an endless cycle with him.
He would become irate over the smallest things, from me getting lost on my way to pick him up from work, to him not liking the jeans I bought him. Literally anything would send him into a full on temper tantrum that often involved yelling and cursing me out before tears, begging me not to leave, and threatening suicide. I was being emotionally abused daily and told no one.
Many women don't reveal when they are being emotionally abused because they don't see it as abuse or feel it is inadequate compared to women who are in physical domestic abuse situations, but emotional abuse is very real and the scars just like physical ones take time and work to heal.
Here are a few telltale signs that you are suffering or have suffered from emotional domestic abuse.
1. He manipulates you often.
He plays the perfect person to get you to do what he wants and the moment you do, he's back to playing his usual games. In my situation, it was with him wanting me to buy him alcohol. The moment I did, he was happy but a few drinks later, he was back to berating me. Or once our relationship was ending, he would make up lies to gain sympathy from me or use the smallest ailments to try and get my attention. If he tries to manipulate you just to get his way, makes up lies to make you feel bad for him and keep you in his corner, or is constantly lying to you for his benefit, he is using manipulation to control you. This is a form of emotional abuse.
If you or a loved one is in an abusive relationship, help is available. Call 866.331.9474 or text "loveis" to 22522.
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Ashley Renee is a soul food enthusiast, sometimes vegetarian, writer and spoken word poet, who doesn't trust boxed macaroni or cats. keep up with her @ashleyreneepoet on Twitter & Instagram.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Tyler James Williams Explains Why His And Quinta Brunson 'Abbott Elementary' Characters Should Remain Friends
While Abbott Elementary fans are hoping that Janine and Gregory end up together, the show’s star has another take. Tyler James Williams plays Gregory on the Emmy award-winning sitcom, and he recently stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show to share his point of view on his storyline with Janine, which Quinta Brunson plays.
“I hate to say it. I know that everybody’s always mad at me for this. I don’t necessarily want to see them together,” he revealed. “It’s partially an actor’s choice, but also somebody who, like, I read a lot of scripts all the time. I watch a lot of TV, a lot of film. I don’t think that we see displays of platonic love between two people often. I think it’s really easy to go right to they have feelings for each other, therefore they should be together. I like this dynamic of exploring withholding that and just actively loving each other where they are. That I like to see more.”
If you recall, they were co-workers who became friends but were secretly crushing on each other. They’ve had many awkward run-ins during and after school, like the unforgettable club scene where they were dancing nervously with each other in season one, and in season two, they finally kiss. However, it only made things even more awkward, and they decided to just be friends. Tyler further explained why he thinks it’s important to showcase that type of relationship on screen.
“I think it’s time for that. I think TV allows people to see things that could be their lives for the first time, and I think seeing a healthy friendship that is deeply caring about one another in a work atmosphere needs to be shown more than the relationship,” he concluded.
Abbott Elementary comes on every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
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