Abuse isn’t just about controlling your physical surroundings or limiting your relationships—it’s about manipulating how you see yourself. Psychological abuse often leaves long-lasting scars, as it targets your identity and self-worth.
Instilling Fear and Anxiety
Abusers may use intimidation, threats, and fear tactics to keep you in line. These tactics can include:
- Threats of violence or harm: Even if the abuser doesn’t physically hurt you, they may threaten violence, making you feel constantly on edge.
- Threats of abandonment: The abuser may threaten to leave you or withdraw emotional support if you don’t comply with their demands.
- Instilling fear of repercussions: Abusers may manipulate you into thinking that if you leave, terrible things will happen (e.g., financial ruin, losing custody of children, or social isolation).
This creates an environment where you feel trapped, as though leaving the relationship is impossible.
Eroding Your Self-Worth
Over time, abusers systematically tear down their victims’ confidence and self-worth. They might:
- Convince you that no one else will want you: Abusers often make you feel like you’re unlovable or that no one else would tolerate being with you.
- Make you feel dependent: They may tell you that you need them to survive—financially, emotionally, or socially.
- Destroy your sense of identity: The abuser might push you to abandon hobbies, goals, or values that make you who you are, leaving you feeling lost and dependent on them for direction.
As a result, victims of psychological abuse often feel powerless to leave because they’ve lost faith in their ability to survive or succeed on their own.
