emotional abuse
/ɪˈmoʊʃənəl ˈæbjuːs/ · em.o.ti.on.al ˈæb.juːs
noun
- The act of causing emotional harm or distress to another person, often through manipulation, control, or exploitation. The therapist specialized in treating victims of emotional abuse who had difficulty forming healthy relationships.
- A pattern of behavior in which one person consistently uses emotional manipulation to control or dominate another person. The abusive partner used guilt and self-pity to emotionally manipulate their partner into doing their bidding.
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Did you know? The term 'emotional abuse' is often used interchangeably with 'emotional manipulation', but while both terms describe harmful behavior, 'emotional abuse' tends to imply a more severe or intentional act of harm.