Abuse may take on many different forms and any of it can be harmful, especially when it takes place for a prolonged amount of time. One of the worst types of abusive behavior, however, is verbal abuse. This is something that can occur in the home, on the job or even on the playground. It has been an issue with various types of domestic abuse, bullying and other forms of verbal attacks. Unfortunately, this type of issue is one that can leave lasting marks.
One of the problems with verbal abuse that is often not discussed is how it is often associated with anxiety. In fact, many of the individuals who go through verbal abuse through their early lives end up suffering from some type of anxiety disorder, either then or at a later time. The same is also true for individuals who have gone through verbal abuse in their later years.
Scientific studies have shown that anxious and depressed individuals are often victims of verbal abuse earlier in their lives. This study took place by analyzing young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 and it was able to separate the individuals who suffered from depression and anxiety and those who did not suffer from those ailments.
As it turns out, individuals who went through verbal abuse in the past also dealt with trauma, especially when they were in their middle school years. This is the time of life when the brain is developing at a very high rate. Emotional and verbal abuse are very similar to each other and they can reduce the self-esteem and hurt the person on an emotional level. It is a type of brain damage that is often not discussed.
The following are the symptoms of verbal abuse and when you know them, you may be able to prevent damage associated with anxiety disorders.
Short-term symptoms:
-Low self-esteem
-Constant overthinking
-Troubles in communication
-Overanalyzing situations
-Impaired decision- making ability
Long-term symptoms:
-Chronic pain
-Depression
-Suicidal thoughts
-Migraines and headaches
-Digestive problems
-Eating disorders
-Anxiety
-PTSD
Verbal abuse often causes anxiety, and you need to ask help and stop it if you experience any of these symptoms.
Therefore, it is highly important to recognize verbal abuse, and these are its signs:
— Verbal abuse usually happens behind closed doors
— Abuser detests the things that the abused is interested in
-Abuse never apologizes and never admits to any wrongs
-Manipulation
-The victim is called offensive names
-The victim feels sad and in pain for most of the time
-The victim feels isolated from the family and friends
-The abused one is unappreciated at home and in public
Verbal abuse is never acceptable but unfortunately, it is something that many people deal with on an ongoing basis. As the scientific studies have shown, it is associated with anxiety and depression. Avoiding the verbal abuse is the best way to avoid these problems later in life. Understanding the symptoms is also quite beneficial.
H/T www.learning-mind.com and mindwaft.com