What Is Parentification and Why Is It Harmful?
When parentification happens, children end up taking on adult roles. They become responsible for emotional support for the caregivers. They may have to undertake other caregiving roles, such as caring…
What Counts as Emotional Abuse
Many people have difficulty identifying emotional abuse. It leaves no visible injuries and in many cases was minimized, normalized, or framed as “love,” “discipline,” or “concern.” As a result, people…
Common Forms of Emotional Abuse and Emotional Harm
Emotional abuse can take many different forms. Some forms are obvious or overt, while others are subtle, normalized, inconsistent, or difficult to recognize while they are happening. Emotionally harmful environments…
Can Small Things Over Time Still Count as Abuse?
Yes, small things over time can still count as abuse, especially when they create an ongoing pattern of fear, shame, control, neglect, or emotional harm. Abuse is often not defined…
What Is Parentification?
Parentification is the term for when children are given responsibilities that belong to adults. Sometimes, this means they are expected to care for their parents, in a reversal of roles.…
What Is Psychological Abuse?
Psychological abuse is a pattern of behavior that is used to control, intimidate, confuse, isolate, or undermine another person. Examples include: threats humiliation manipulation gaslighting intimidation monitoring isolation making someone…
What Is Emotional Abuse?
Emotional abuse involves repeated behaviors that harm a person’s sense of safety, worth, confidence, or emotional stability. It can include: insults humiliation criticism shaming threats intimidation manipulation gaslighting constant blame…
How Do You Know If Something “Counts” as Abuse?
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines abuse as “maltreatment,” but for our purposes, which addresses many people who have complex trauma, we think about maltreatment that repeats over time. Abuse isn’t always…
Contents of What Counts as Abuse?
What Counts as Abuse? How to recognize abuse, especially when it was normalized, minimized, or mixed with care. Core Concepts: What Counts as Emotional Abuse What Is Parentification and Why…
Does It Still Count as Abuse If Others Had It Worse?
Yes. Something can still be abusive even if others had more extreme experiences. Comparing your experiences to others can make it harder to recognize harm, but it does not change…