Emotional abuse is a pattern of verbal and non-verbal behavior that is meant to control, intimidate, and/or instill fear into the target. It negatively affects the way a person feels. It may include some of the following acts:
- Controlling
- Silent treatment
- Name calling or insults
- Yelling
- Mocking
- Minimizing
- Excluding or ignoring
- Shaming
- Blaming
- Hoovering
- Withholding affection
- Threatening (subtly and obviously)
- Invalidating
- Guilt-tripping
- Accusing
- Humiliation
- Isolation (real or attempted) from family and/or friends
- Denial of the abuse
- Ridicule
- Manipulation
- Passive aggression
- Judging
- Condescension
- Routinely providing negative criticism
- Intimidation
- Violently slamming doors
- Throwing or smashing objects
- Punching holes in walls or other inanimate objects