Not all abuse leaves bruises — some of it erodes you from the inside out.
Emotional abuse is hard to name.
It doesn’t always come with yelling.
Sometimes it comes with silence.
With constant correction.
With subtle manipulation.
With the slow, quiet erasure of your confidence.
You begin to question your memory.
Your instincts.
Your worth.
You think, “Maybe I am too sensitive.”
“Maybe I do expect too much.”
“Maybe this is just what relationships look like.”
But deep down, something whispers:
This isn’t love. At least, not the kind that helps me grow.
Here Are the Quiet Signs:
1. You constantly feel like you’re walking on eggshells.
You filter every word, every mood, every text — just to avoid “setting them off.”
2. They twist your words and make you doubt your version of events.
This is called gaslighting. You start apologizing even when you’re not sure what you did.
3. They withhold affection, attention, or support as punishment.
It’s not always obvious. Sometimes it’s just a cold shoulder. Silence. Disconnection. For days.
4. You feel more alone in the relationship than you did before it.
You feel invisible. You stop asking for things — because you know they’ll be used against you.
5. Your world has gotten smaller.
You see friends less. You laugh less. You trust yourself less. You used to shine — now you shrink.
It Doesn’t Have to Be Physical to Be Abuse
If you feel afraid, small, silenced, or emotionally controlled — that’s real.
You don’t need permission to be impacted.
And you don’t need a black eye to justify leaving — or asking for help.
Emotional Abuse Isn’t Just Their Problem — It Becomes Yours, Too
Because it reprograms your nervous system.
Because it convinces you that you’re the problem.
Because it keeps you in survival mode, always trying to fix what you didn’t break.
But here’s the truth:
You didn’t break it.
You just stopped abandoning yourself long enough to see it clearly.
If You’re Reading This and Nodding Quietly… You’re Not Alone
You are not crazy.
You are not overreacting.
You are not too much.
You are finally starting to see what your body already knew.
And that is the beginning of freedom.
So What Now?
Start by telling yourself the truth.
Even if you don’t act on it yet.
Even if you stay (for now).
Truth is the first crack in the cage. And cracks let in light.
When you’re ready to take the next step — you don’t have to do it alone.