There are a lot of misconceptions about emotional abuse. A controversial topic over the years is whether emotional abuse should even be considered a type of abuse. There is now a staggering amount of evidence that emotional abuse is not only abuse but is compared to physical abuse as the worst type of domestic abuse. Emotional abuse is something that most people have little or no awareness of which means very few people know the warning signs, which is why the number of emotionally abused people is so high. Despite the misconceptions and controversiality about emotional abuse, it is a form of abuse and can be debilitating psychologically and physically to victims.

Emotional abuse includes any non-physical behaviors such as threats, insults, constant monitoring or checking in, excessive texting, humiliation, intimidation, isolation or stalking and comes in all different forms of severity. Although there are many signs of emotional abuse most of them are overlooked and should not be. Some of the biggest signs of emotional abuse are name calling and, when someone starts putting down a victim, and/or being over controlling. In this case, there are many types of being over controlling; from intentionally preventing one to see or talk with friends and family, telling them what to do and wear, threatening their life or the people closest to them, and the abuser threatening to commit suicide. It is very common in emotionally abusive relationships for the abuser to threaten suicide when their partner tries to go against them or leave them. .A lot of the times abusers even blame their victims for their abuse and unhealthy behaviors making them believe that they are the one who is the cause of the abuse. All these tactics used are to gain power and control over the victim to manipulate them into saying. Another tactic also used is gas-lighting techniques to confuse and manipulate. This causes the victim to question their own feelings, instincts, and sanity, which gives the abuser much of the power, and abusers are all about power and control.

There should be no misconception about emotional abuse being abused. It is just as common and detrimental as other forms of abuse, including physical abuse. Emotional abuse has a difficult and lasting impact on the victim and/or survivors of this abuse, which is one of the many reasons why it should be recognized worldly as a form of abuse. As someone who has been emotional abused in the past I can say with certainty that emotional abuse is abuse. It is something that stays with you forever. It is something I will forever have to live and cope with. Emotional abuse is abuse.