Just look at the word ABUSER. The last four letters of the word spell USER. Abusers USE other people to get what they want…control, money, sex, whatever. Like the victims of sexual and physical abuse the victims of MENTAL ABUSE, VERBAL ABUSE and EMOTIONAL ABUSE are all around...in pain, fear, helplessness and hopelessness. Maybe YOU or someone you know is one of them.

The MENTAL ABUSER uses “mind games”. He/she is very clever at twisting things around to blame you, the victim, for everything that goes wrong. People who abuse others mentally are wickedly suspicious and jealous. They need to be “in control” of you, of your mind, body and spirit. That’s why they always have “to be right” all the time, never, ever giving you credit for having a working brain in your head.

The VERBAL ABUSER is more than just a loud mouth. He/she is a TALK DICTATOR. …yelling, swearing, “dissing”, and always interrupting when you try to get a word in. Worst of all, this kind of abuser uses his mouth to “put you down”. By ridiculing, embarrassing and threatening you, both in front of other people and when you’re alone, the verbal abuser makes you feel much smaller and weaker than you really are.

The EMOTIONAL ABUSER is like a clone of the verbal abuser, but much more quiet about it. He/she doesn’t scream or swear at you but, instead, criticizes everything you do. He/she often makes cutting little comments about how stupid or incapable you are. Emotional abusers never take what you say or do seriously, rarely listen, and show no respect for you. They make you feel that they “know it all” and you “know nothing”.

Abuse is something that is extremely common and incredibly underreported. Abuse is not love and love is not pain, physical or emotional. Don’t trust the “promises” about loving you, or treating you better, which your abuser will make. Abusers are like leopards; they can’t change their spots. Start BELIEVING in yourself! Never forget you are a worthy human being whose body, mind, heart and spirit have real value. DON’T LET ANYONE ELSE CONTROL YOU OR PUT YOU DOWN. And don’t let the abuse of another go on. Help is available for you or anyone else being abused.