EMOTIONAL ABUSE & DEPRESSION - Abigail Ajayi
Emotional abuse is similar to physical abuse, which is an attempt to control another person. It is one of the hardest forms of abuse to be recognized. It affects the self-esteem of the victims, which often promotes doubts and damage the perception and reality of its
victims. At the end, the victim feels trapped. They are often too wounded to endure the relationship any longer but too afraid to leave. So, the cycle just repeats itself until something is done.
It takes a great deal of energy to deal with emotional abuse and stay buoyant. Some people run out of strength to climb the mound of abuse heaped upon them and this leads to depression. Unable to escape from anger, fear, shame and guilt they attempt to shut down all of their emotions and curl into themselves, isolated from others. Emotional abuse can take a variety of forms, from humiliating jokes to degrading comments and at times, it’s not easy to spot. It doesn’t just occur in romantic relationship. A friend, relative, peer, teacher or colleague could try to embarrass you or often dismiss your opinion. Emotional abuse isn’t just found in the lives of adults, it’s largely seen in the lives of children who grow up with so much fear about life.
The effect can be heartbreaking and destructive, both in the short & long term.
They suffer from low selfesteem: This is due to growing up believing they will never ever amount to anything.
They are scared of coming in contact with people: this is as a result of been an introvert, as they learn as children to distance themselves from others.
They have commitment issues: these issues arise due to them having a hard time trusting anyone while growing.
It can be really hard to make a decision: after having a troubling childhood, they’ve learned to be passive & not vocalise their desires.
They tend to struggle with addictive issues
They mentally and emotionally beat themselves up.
Symptoms of depression
Persistent sadness, anxious or empty mood.
Feeling of hopelessness.
Feeling of guilt and worthlessness.
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities.
Decreased energy and fatigue.
Difficulty in concentrating.
Appetite and or weight changes.
Thoughts of death or suicide.
How To Prevent Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse can take a variety of forms, from humiliating jokes to degrading comments and at times, it’s not easy to spot. If you believe you are the target of emotional abuse, remove yourself from the situation and cut tiers from your abuser. Emotional abuse can develop to physical violence. It could lead to Depression and suicide, depending on how it’s handled.
Types Of Therapy Common In Treating Emotional Abuse
Individual Therapy
Group Therapy
Psycho Therapy
Medical
Behavioral Therapy.
When emotional abuse leads to depression, it often takes a lot from the depressed individual.
It can cause pain for both the person with depression and those who care about him or her. So many people experience this but act as though all is well to the world and that could lead to suicide. Doctors call this condition “depressive disorder,” or “clinical depression.” It is a real illness. It is not a sign of a person’s weakness or a character flaw. You can’t “snap out of” clinical depression. Most people who experience depression need treatment to get better.
Depression is a real illness.Depression affects people in different ways.Depression is treatable.If you have depression, you are not alone.
It’s essential to intervene when you notice someone is depressed, because the more time the person stayst depressed, the harder it gets for them to get out of it. Be of help to people around you, you really can’t tell who is depressed, don’t be judgmental. A depressed soul’s treatment might be YOU, your words and attention. If you feel depressed, reach out to someone!There are two sides to been ‘visible, not every beautiful smile really means a smile. Luckily, there are ample resources available. If you or someone you know is depressed, start by talking to a physician or therapist, who will then perform an examination and possibly refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist.