SAEDNEWS: Psychological or Verbal Abuse Can Damage Your Self-Esteem So Deeply That You Might Not Recognize What’s Happening or Know How to Address It. In This Lesson, We Provide Guidelines to Help You.
According to the Family Magazine section of Saed News, marital relationships are always complex, but there are certain red lines that should never be crossed. For example, if your partner verbally lashes out at you, it’s important to take action before this behavior becomes a habit.
Do you constantly experience verbal aggression from your spouse? Do you often wonder why your partner seems hostile toward you? Are you frustrated that your spouse shows no respect for you and never considers your feelings? The reality is that communication problems like these are one of the main causes of dissatisfaction in romantic relationships.
Human relationships are complicated, and responsibility is rarely one-sided. After all, a couple consists of two people who share a dynamic in which life cannot be sustained without the cooperation of both partners.
However, psychological or verbal abuse can damage your self-esteem to such an extent that you either cannot recognize what is happening or don’t know how to respond. If this describes your situation, this guide offers practical steps to help you navigate it.
The first thing to consider is that your perception of your most intimate relationships is not always accurate. Emotional vulnerability when connecting deeply with someone else can make you feel like a victim and label the other as a perpetrator. In reality, the issue may stem from the way you both communicate.
Sanchez-Aragon and Diaz-Loving identified six possible communication patterns in couples, which affect the satisfaction experienced by both partners.
Some styles, such as negative or aggressive communication, are clearly harmful, involving humiliation, insults, and disrespect. Other styles, like cautious or avoidant communication, may be cold or abrupt, potentially causing emotional harm without being intentionally aggressive.
This distinction becomes particularly important when the communication styles and coping mechanisms of both partners are completely opposite. For instance, if one partner needs to talk and express feelings while the other withdraws and prefers solitude, this difference can trigger conflict.
Often, pressure from the more outspoken partner can push the other to retreat. That’s why it’s crucial to understand your communication style and your partner’s to find balance.
To determine whether you are a victim of verbal aggression, watch for these common behavioral indicators:
Your partner judges you without trying to understand your perspective.
Any attempt to talk ends in yelling or arguments.
They mock or ridicule you.
They use sarcasm or snide comments to embarrass you in front of others.
They show no empathy toward you.
Their goal is to dominate or devalue you.
They always respond negatively to your opinions or ideas.
Verbal aggression and disrespect are never justified. No partner should insult, yell at, humiliate, or mock you. Still, understanding the roots of such behavior can be helpful. Verbal aggression may occur due to:
Personal stress or difficult circumstances (loss of a loved one, financial troubles, academic failure, etc.), which the partner cannot manage effectively and expresses inappropriately toward you.
A negative, hostile relationship pattern in which both partners are participating, creating a cycle of mutual disrespect.
A personality pattern characterized by aggression, dominance, or lack of empathy, possibly linked to past trauma and requiring personal psychological work.
Regardless of the cause, verbal aggression and disrespect should not be tolerated in a relationship. Here are some steps to consider:
Acknowledge the reality – Stop justifying, downplaying, or joking about your partner’s behavior. Facing the truth is painful, but the emotional consequences of ignoring it are worse.
Identify potential triggers – Is your partner under stress? Do they struggle with anxiety or anger management? Is this a personality pattern? Understanding the source will help you take the appropriate steps to address the conflict.
Communicate assertively – Let your partner know which attitudes and behaviors hurt you and clearly express your expectations for the relationship.
Set boundaries – Everyone has bad days or moments of stress, but certain red lines should never be crossed. Define and uphold these boundaries clearly.
Make a decision – Once boundaries are set, understand there will be consequences. If your partner continues to disrespect you, remove yourself from the harmful situation or end the relationship.
After reading this guide, if you are certain your partner is verbally aggressive and emotionally damaging, it’s time to make a choice. You are at a turning point—choose yourself.
Ending a relationship is always painful. Fear of loneliness and a sense of failure can be paralyzing. Letting go of shared dreams and expectations is never easy. Yet staying in a harmful relationship can be psychologically and emotionally destructive.
Choose to love yourself, take care of yourself, and respect yourself. Do not remain in a situation where the respect you give is not reciprocated.
