How to Spot Mental Abuse in Relationships and What to Do About It
Mental abuse is a bit trickier than verbal abuse. Mental abuse is a pattern of behavior or speech that makes you feel you are being played with, controlled, and intimidated. When you are the victim of mental abuse, you find yourself feeling more and more insecure, less and less vibrant, and more confused; you feel as if you need to ask your partner for permission to do things, buy things, go places. You may even feel that you need to ask permission in regard to your spiritual preferences. Mental abuse occurs when you are told what to do and when to do it, when you are ordered around as if you were in a prison camp. Mental abuse often comes disguised. For example, the abuser may conveniently have amnesia and twist facts to suit his preferences. Even though you know what you are talking about, the abuser tells you that you are wrong. Or the abuser may say he will do such-and-such, never do it, and then say he doesn't remember telling you he would do the thing to begin with. To put i