| Relationships are a challenge for many people. They | | | | the criticism continues, you might start conforming |
| require effort, commitment, and a degree of | | | | your behavior to what you know your partner will |
| emotional maturity to be successful. Some | | | | approve of. |
| relationship dynamics are unbalanced and unhealthy. If | | | | 3. When you are intimate with your partner, it seems |
| a relationship is emotionally abusive, the victim is likely | | | | less an expression of love and caring, and more a |
| to struggle with feeling in inferior, incompetent, and | | | | way to get control of you. Either you are coerced or |
| even wonder if he or she is crazy. This is the effect | | | | pressed to perform, regardless of how you feel |
| of continuous criticism and controlling behavior, and | | | | about it, or you are deprived deliberately of affection |
| can result in lowered self esteem and even | | | | and attention. |
| depression. Here are 5 signs you are being | | | | 4. Your regular interactions with your partner include |
| emotionally abused: | | | | persistent criticism that leave you feeling inferior, |
| 1. When you express a desire to see friends and | | | | incapable, and even mentally unstable. You may be a |
| family, your partner discourages or prohibits it. You | | | | victim of put downs that are name calling, or more |
| may be on the receiving end of a guilt trip when you | | | | subtle in nature. |
| present a plan to go out with a friend, or you may | | | | 5. You feel a persistent threat that if you don't do |
| be directly forbidden to do it altogether. Isolation is a | | | | what your partner wants, there will be some kind of |
| powerful tool to keep you firmly entrenched in the | | | | non-physical consequence. On occasion you might be |
| abuser's version of reality about you. | | | | on the receiving end of some random or calculated |
| 2. When you come home at the end of the day, you | | | | kindness, but it simply draws you back into the |
| are required to report your activities and defend | | | | relationship. The abuse begins again. |
| what you chose to do with your time. Eventually, if | | | | |