How Do You Know if You Are in an Abusive Relationship? Tips to Help
If you’re married and struggling, it’s sometimes difficult to tell if you’re involved in an abusive relationship. In some cases, a husband or a wife may use manipulative tactics — specifically gaslighting — to control or shame their spouse into submission. As a result of such manipulation, a person might even begin to think they’re going crazy. Here are some tips to help identify abusive behaviors and if you are indeed in an abusive relationship.
1. You find yourself making excuses for your partner. Behaviors that are unacceptable (such as lying, cheating, stealing, or hitting) become defendable in your eyes.
2. You slowly lose touch with your family and friends.
3. Your partner is your only means of social interaction.
4. Your partner is extremely jealous of any conversation you have with the opposite sex; might even grill you after you get home from work.
5. If you have children, you will be berated for not being good enough to be their parent.
6. Confidence you once had in yourself will be gone.
7. You will no longer be looking others in the eye when talking to them.
8. Your partner will have you convinced that no one else will want you and that you will never make it without him/her.
9. You no longer take pride in your outward appearance.
10. Home becomes more of a prison than a sanctuary.
The breaking down of a human being through abuse takes a period of time; it does not happen overnight. Even the most experienced abuser needs time. If a controlling person can persuade someone into their lair, the victim never sees it coming, and is not aware that their own persona is gone.
