http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_abusePsychological abuse, also referred to as emotional abuse or mental abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behavior that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.[1][2][3] Such abuse
is often associated with situations of power imbalance, such as abusive relationships, bullying, and abuse in the workplace.[2][3]
Definitions[edit]
As of 1996,[4] there are "no consensus views about the definition of emotional abuse." As such, clinicians and researchers have offered sometimes divergent definitions of emotional abuse. However, the widely used Conflict Tactics Scale measures roughly twenty distinct acts of "psychological aggression" in three different categories:
1.Verbal aggression (e.g., saying something that upsets or annoys someone else);
2.Dominant behaviors (e.g., preventing someone from contacting their family);
3.Jealous behaviors (e.g., accusing a partner of maintaining other parallel relations).
According to the University of Illinois counseling center, ″Emotional abuse is any kind of abuse that is emotional rather than physical in nature. It can include anything from verbal abuse and constant criticism
to more subtle tactics, such as intimidation, manipulation, and refusal to ever be pleased. Emotional abuse can take many forms. Three general patterns of abusive behavior
include aggressing, denying, and minimizing'.″[5] Even though there is no established definition for emotional abuse, emotional abuse can possess a definition beyond verbal and psychological abuse.
Blaming, shaming, and name calling are a few identifiers of verbal abuse which can affect a victim emotionally. The victim's self-worth and emotional well being is altered and even diminished by the verbal abuse and the result is an emotionally abused victim.[6] The victim may experience severe psychological effects, this would involve
the tactics of brainwashing, which can fall under psychological abuse as well but emotional abuse consists of the manipulation of the victim's emotions. The victim may feel their emotions are being affected by the abuser so much that the victim may no longer recognize what their own feelings are about issue/s the abuser is trying to control.
The result is the victim's self-concept and independence are `systematically taken away.[7]
The U.S. Department of Justice defines emotionally abusive traits as including causing fear by: intimidation, threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner's family or friends, destruction of pets and property,
forcing isolation from family, friends, or school or work.[8] Subtler emotionally abusive tactics include insults, putdowns, arbitrary and unpredictable inconsistency, and
gaslighting (the denial that previous abusive incidents occurred). Modern technology has led to new forms of abuse, by text messaging and online cyber-bullying.
In 1996, Health Canada argued that emotional abuse
is "based on power and control",[3] and defines emotional abuse as including rejecting, degrading,
terrorizing, isolating, corrupting/exploiting and
"denying emotional responsiveness" as characteristic of emotional abuse.
Several studies have argued that an isolated incident of either verbal aggression, dominant conduct or jealous behaviors does not constitute the term "psychological abuse." Rather, a pattern of such behaviors is a more appropriate scenario to be considered, unlike physical and sexual maltreatment where only one incident is necessary to label it as abuse.[9] Tomison and Tucci write, "emotional abuse is characterised by a climate or pattern of behavior(s)
occurring over time [...] Thus, 'sustained' and 'repetitive' are the crucial components of any definition of emotional abuse."[10] Andrew Vachss, an author, attorney and former sex crimes investigator, defines emotional abuse as "the systematic diminishment of another. It may be intentional or subconscious (or both),
but it is always a course of conduct, not a single event."[11]
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Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. Yes - psychological abuse can be VERY subtle - from my experiences in these Babel church buildings, the typical hireling pastor engages in JUST that with his CRAFTY words.
