What It's Like to Be An Adult With Childhood Emotional Abuse

Contributors from The Mighty's mental health community share what they do as adults because of their experience of emotional abuse in childhood.
Read the full story here: themighty.com/2017/06/childho...
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[@MabelPinesXD]

I started crying bc I can relate to everything???

[@Axess-sv8nq]

One thing I didn't see there was the paranoia about when someone says something they don't mean to you. Whenever I feel that someone is criticizing, ridiculing, or threatening me, I get very cold and usually cut them off from being a friend INSTANTLY. I instantly see it as serious and not joking around if I get caught at the wrong time with it.

[@JoryStultz1234]

Same

[@flextrix1247]

same

[@alfa1659]

same here so much relating thinks

[@regginator2.047]

Katie Gessler same

[@levimiee7183]

Even though this is what it's like for an adult, I can still relate to this as a teenager.

[@samtaplet6117]

Queen Sunflower Same I am 13 years old. I can relate to a few. My life is so hard...

[@levimiee7183]

Samtaplet​ I'm sorry to hear that

[@midnightgirl3138]

Queen Sunflower me too I relate to all these

[@AnaPaulaOliveira-mo7le]

Same to me..

[@hellobonjour9513]

You're still young, work on these so it doesn't become harder when you get older. Talk to someone, a teacher, a school counselor, if you want confidentiality, anyone in the medical field can do it because of medical confidentiality. Learn how to grow stronger from it, you don't have to be alone, it's okay to ask for help

[@Mari-hb5do]

this is so true it hurts. yet people keep trying to invalidate my pain and think i owe anything to my abusive parents. hopefully cutting ties next year

[@anaidhd]

Mari it's even harder/worse if your society/culture tolerates such abusive behavior

[@anaidhd]

Good luck! Best wishes! You deserve better

[@Isochest]

Walk away from them now and never look back. I they find you and start scoping ignore them. The No Contact Rule is the only way.

[@phoenix4256]

Good for you, I'm 37, living with my abuser for 5 years, she constantly put me in a tough situation because she wouldn't let me occupy a second room, so I had to share a room with my wife and kids. Then threatened to call CPS, threw things at me when I chose homework over chores, didn't graduate as a result. Sorry, I digress. I almost have enough to get a house two counties away, but tbh, even if it was on a planet on the far side of the cosmos it would still be too close.

[@personincognito3989]

Maybe you can read my comment above so that you understand my story a little bit but I wouldn't walk away because after your parents die you may blame yourself. I would be the best I can be without trying to change them and without putting up with any crap then at least you know you did your best. Because not only would you have the feelings of being abused and all that, you have to deal with having the feeling of doubting yourself. And I may just explain to you that this is coming from someone who had incredibly abusive parents

[@miguelalves7333]

I was emotional and phisical abused by both of my parents. As a result i have no confidence. Do have ansiety and feel depressed most of my life and find it difficult to make friends as i have a hard time trusting people. Had to cut strings and they are not part of my life anymore.

[@ybkbased1466]

Goncalo Martins i feel you brother.i have a narcissist mom

[@ericmoore1493]

Same here! As an adult I realized my mom was an utter narcissist! Even my younger siblings (ones that weren’t abused) don’t understand at all...

[@marceloacuna6479]

Im actually in the process of cutting my parents out of my life

[@oluwabunmiayodele1873]

I am currently going through the same pain

[@alexsalinas5361]

I hope all has been well for you since the time this comment was posted. I empathize with you.

[@leebenstead7171]

OMG this is so me. I'm 46 now and slowly coming to terms with who I am, I look around me and see people climbing over each other to get somewhere and i think to myself, i'm glad i'm different, I don't feel like i want or need to be apart of that, any more. On the contrary to what some people think, living an isolated simple existence has opened my world up. I try not to look at some of my "issues" as issues but more so as positive attributes. Sometimes it's a good feeling to be on the outside looking in. Life can be so superficial.

[@ericmoore1493]

Same here - I’m 48 and it absolutely made me cry.

[@dlosha]

Thanks for suggesting a sol

[@lpath9526]

Sigh I'm sorry for people who have to deal with emotional abuse as child from people they know that hurt them.... It makes me dislike people and not trust them.i want to get better but I don't know how. I deal with anxiety and depression I'm always afraid..

[@PeculiarLancer]

I've been through childhood emotional abuse from my peers (basically my whole childhood was a bad time for me as I was a victim of many school bullies and even mean teachers in grade 2). I relate to these thoughts that go through my mind!

[@GalaxyGal-]

I was homeschooled. I never got to meet any peers, so all I knew was my parents and my brother. My dad could be really good sometimes, but other times, he’d be so overly critical that I couldn’t function. He would make me do push-ups if I didn’t write in script. He would tell me how I had no future if I got an 88 on a test instead of a 100. I now have test anxiety to the point where I spend 20 minutes taking a test and 2 hours checking every answer. Because I didn’t have any close friends growing up, I’m socially awkward and what friends I do have, I’m afraid of losing due to my awkwardness. I still have a difficult time approaching authority figures, including my academic advisor at university, because of my anxiety. There are only a few people I open up to, and, even then, I’m in a constant fear of losing them.

[@amizhu2695]

I can relate to this since i am going to turn to 20 years old pretty soon and don't get along with my parents, they just ignore my feelings completely and justify only their words are right because they have more experience than you. Is this right? No,isn't. It make the child alone and shunned for saying how they truly feel.

[@leilaniaranda9898]

ami zhu sameeee, I really thought I was the only one

[@JPtheGamer650]

Hope you get out of that situation soon. I just turned 30 and still codependent on my emotionally abusive parents. I’ve been with my girlfriend for over 12 years, and still struggling to “run away” and get married. Luckily she moved in with me (and my parents) a few years ago so we’re always together. But it feels unfair to make her endure the same treatment I receive from my parents. She must really love me…

[@polarbearthebest9778]

@@JPtheGamer650 It is really easy to say move out. cut off ties. Unless you are the one being abused

[@saltydinonuggies1841]

Thanks mom... thanks... Honestly, except for the eye contact thing (which I sometimes do have trouble with) I constantly do all of this...

[@mr.dickbutttheog2064]

It’s depressing how I relate to all of this, I’m only 17 but I’m slowly realizing that I’ve been abused. I used to be so bright and cheerful as a kid, but my mom changed that with her “parenting ways”. I also discovered I could have undiagnosed anxiety since I’ve been seeing concerning signs and I’m trying to work on getting therapy and bettering myself. I know it won’t heal me from it but it’ll help me be at peace with myself and possibly move on with my life. I’m sorry for anyone going through this, just know that it’ll get better soon and you’ll be at peace with yourself 😊

[@davidadamson7368]

Hi I'm David and I'm 15 years of age I recently moved to stay with people I only met a year ago due to my mother throwing me away after only knowing her for two years the only close family I've got is my sister and she lives with a sweet lady who treats her like royalty ,my father left me after the age of three and I have lived with a lot of different families,I know now that I have cause her a misrabal childhood cause through the chooses I have made me and my sis went through emotional,sexual and physical abuse and I always feel unloveable I invest mist if my time playing guitar cause I know the guitar will never judge me ,in fact the more love I give it the more it cheers me up and makes me feel that my only true love is my "slinkey" witch is the nickname I gave my guitar,thank you all for reading I just felt I could not handle this anymore stuck in the inside so I appreciate that....I'm now Gina take it easy and go listen to some death metal\M/

[@adlinamazuan4473]

watching this video makes me realise that I'm not alone,I thought I was😳

[@fuhgetabatit1051]

this makes too much sense to me😥

[@brodeekane4445]

0:56 is so true. I don't even hand in essays because I think my teacher might judge me from the way I write or my opinions and it's hard to have conversations with people.

[@cari1490]

I used to feel these things before. I'm thankful I overcame them now.

[@Axess-sv8nq]

I'm 49 and I never overcame them. They followed me into my relationships with abusive people.

[@joyherring81]

The Magic Bean how did you over come them?

[@buffit_8345]

I can honestly relate to all of these feelings and emotions. One time I went to see a counselor and writhing a few short minutes she noticed I was showing symptoms of PTSD, which I thought was a little extreme but after careful self reflection and consideration, I can now see what she was talking about. I’m in my 30’s, married, have two children, and I am a disaster of a person as a result of my childhood emotional abuse. It seemed to attach itself to me and follow me everywhere I went. Teachers, bosses, and coworkers abused me in similar ways. I think people like to poke fun at what they don’t understand. I’m definitely a hermit and avoid social interaction with people as a result of so much hate in the world. I think I was also physically abused by both my parents growing up. 😐

[@SharlenesJourney]

So true can definitely relate

[@Evilmindy12]

Let me add to this. Feeling lonely and longing for a connection, feeling like you have to do everything on your own, believing that nobody cares, bouts of random depression and disassociation.

[@rawrytheaguacate9722]

Not to mention it feels right. When I’m angry or upset, I have the sudden urge to throw something or hit the walls to break them...I have a little brother....I was super angry and irritated because he wouldn’t listen even though he’s three. I had a pair of scissors in my hand and I threw them. Not at him but over him and I constantly think about why I did that and that I need help then I realize I’ve seen my mother throw stuff like wine bottles and irons at her husbands or I’ve seen her hit walls and break them. I can’t blame it on learning that as I grow up but it seems right too because this isn’t me...help...

[@lailavalente]

I relate to all of these things but never thought I'd be the person affected by this

[@NeverEclipsed81]

Wow. Every one of those things. I had to work really hard on the eye contact. I just recently noticed I don't accept compliments well which surprised me. I'm happy to get them but I seem to accept them awkwardly.

[@mysticqueen3551]

I'm autistic and I relate to so many of these. I also have an anxiety disorder and depression. I've been questioning if my parents are emotionally/verbally abusive or not. As a child, I was mostly told what I was doing wrong rather than what I was doing right and it still feels like that even today, by my family, when I was a child I was told that by social skills teachers. I was also emotionally abused/manipulated by a couple of "friends."

[@GentlemenGhidorah]

Every single one of those notes ring true for me. There are PLENTY of extra things I could add to that list but I would rather not lose myself in the heat of the moment and keep myself from going on a tangent.

[@optimisticgirl07]

This makes me understand why my hubby is the way he is when it comes to communication, anger, indecissiveness, emotional absence (in hurtful times), etc....

[@Raven-lu5ee]

Dang. For the longest time I was so frustrated with myself because no matter how hard I tried I still did all of these things. Good to have an understanding of where it cones from so I can get help.

[@ronan7036]

Not even the whole way to being an adult and this is already my life.

[@curtistinemiller1560]

Being Emotional Abused you must recognize for yourself,and get help to talk about it your abusers will never ever own up......never......

[@jenniferkwiek5475]

Thanks for putting this one on here. It was so meaningful to me. Now, I know someone understands. I am not alone.

[@BRITTWOODNESHIE]

I just turned 26, and i didn't know that I was going through this stuff until recently. A lot of these are what I'm going through today, which is why I cried watching this video because it's what I went through as a child, and even what I am going through now as an adult. All from the emotional, verbal and physical abuse from my mom. She still does a lot of these things to me now, which is why I can not wait to start saving up and moving out. I've been in a toxic environment for too long. We've never had a mother/daughter bond ever.

[@salvia_salmon]

I have all of this but i don't remember having such experiences in childhood, i did grew up in a house where there was quarrels almost every week , but i do remember being anxious a lot about it. I think thats it. It doesn't necessarily have to be directed to you ,but being in such environment does take a toll. Now its okay.

[@keikei8598]

I can relate to all of these even just as a teenager... What I went through was more quiet and subtle but it had serious effects on me. Thank you for making this so that people can understand what it's like for everyone who's gone through emotional abuse.

[@jemgem9593]

Omg this is me exactly, almost in tears that what I experienced is a real thing that others have gone through and been affected by well into adulthood.

[@anthonyramirez7272]

This list perfectly describes me. This video is criminally underviewed because it’s so helpful and gives insight to the people that have suffered from childhood emotional abuse

[@RandaLeigh18]

Pretty much sums up bringing. My parents divorced when I was 8 and my mom took out all of her emotions out on me. At that age, I wanted nothing to do with her because all she would do is want me to conform to her ways. My dad became an alcoholic, however, he quit drinking because my mom treated that he wouldn’t see me again if he kept drinking. When I was 13, my mom was remarried to a guy after dating him for a year. When they were dating, they got along and didn’t argue. However, when I started school again, my mom yelled at her husband after pity shit to a point they were yelling at each other. It would make me break down a lot to a point where I didn’t want to live in the same household with them. My dad re married when I was 14, even thought this woman was uptight, she raise me right. Because of my mother’s horrible words, I started treating everyone that way and she told me that wasn’t ok. My high school years were rough because my mom’s marriage was falling apart. It got so bad I had to stay at my dad’s house for over a month. At 18, I got a part time job but I wasn’t making much money. Honestly I felt like I could’ve left when things got bad. When my mom had her second divorce, I didn’t want to be around her because of what happened the first time. I hung out with my boyfriend and went to college. I didn’t actually move out until I was 23. It does take forever to get over what you have been through and unfortunately, it will follow you for the rest of your life. I wished my parents would’ve made better decisions for me and my siblings if they weren’t so fucked in the head. I want nothing to do with my mother after what she has put me through, my dad on the other hand, I can tell him anything and he won’t judge me. For those of you who are going through this, please get the fuck out of there before it does get worse. Move in with a relative or friend if you need to, as long as you can work to pay your own shit. I’m 24 now and forever wishing I could’ve done things differently if my parents didn’t put me in a shitty situation.

[@ericmoore1493]

I too started crying - I can’t believe how accurate this video was...😞

[@AV-bt9dv]

I exhibit every single one of the tendencies listed. I self-sabotage myself at everything I do and extremely miserable. I feel like I’m stuck in a mental cage I’ve created. I don’t know how to get out.

[@michaelgreco1175]

The illustration was so pleasant to watch

[@lissaajz]

This is so good I cried thru the whole thing!! And I have more suggestions to add: Sometimes I don’t show up cause I think others will be better without me Getting dressed up feels like a waste of time, I’m always mediocre. If suddenly everything happens to be really good for once, than the fear of what’s gonna go wrong takes oves me If a man in a position of power says something dubious to me, I already get defensive with him, thinking he is an abusive chauvinist

[@Wingsoficarus90]

Beautiful video and this is so true.

[@Musicnyc777]

Working on these very things and have come a long way.....these are sometime my first emotions. Take care of yourselves, improve in self worth (no one is better than you) take care of yourselves and with an embracing self love and care. Finding I got to a point where I respond differently consistently and I continue to improve. Awareness of my past keeps me more positive towards myself today-those old trauma memories are there.....I get out of my head and into a spiritual "I am worthy" mode.

[@eileenbrooks849]

This is spot on. 😢

[@rahxeira]

My mom would get mad instantly and call me a bitch, psycho, fat, useless, worthless, hopeless, loser, and tell me I have no friends and nobody likes me. She did this every day. When someone complimented me, ie called me pretty, she would always try to overshadow me and say “but i was so much prettier at her age”. It seemed like pure jealousy, she tried so hard to chip away at my self esteem. Now I realize that she met all the criteria for a narcissistic personality. To this day I have deep insecurities and I doubt myself at every turn. I am trying very hard to gain my confidence back and live a normal life, but I struggle with depression, anxiety, and BPD. I deserve to overcome the past, and I deserve to believe in myself without a doubt. I know that.

[@MaryJaneMcPot5]

that hurts :( so very true... the more you try to fix it the worse it gets..

[@personincognito3989]

This is me. I'm getting better at some of them though especially the last 2. I'm way into my adulthood and my mom died recently but I had no grief because I dealt with the grief of not having a kind or loving mother many years ago. I felt relief but unless I were to explain in depth the level of abuse I suffered, it may be hard to understand that I felt relief. As time goes by I'm realizing more and more the emotional abuse she brought upon me even up until she died. I'm o.k. though because it was her who had the problem not me.

[@puppylove42]

can you guys do videos on what it's like to have a mental illness as a teenager

[@itsme3019]

Yup. Ty for sharing.

[@goforitp4737]

Thankyou so much..! For this video.

[@SSStreble]

Everything is relatable. I was emotional/physically/sexually abused as a child. I can relate to all of this. I am in tears. I don’t want anyone to go through what I’ve been through. It’s sad I am crying my eyes out.

[@davez9890]

Yep. Tears here. My upringing almost exactly.

[@buntysonawane5750]

True

[@phoenix4256]

I think there was 3 that I didn't do, so many I didn't realize was because of DV. Subscribed!

[@finthebirb3200]

I can relate to SO MANY of these.

[@08680868]

Doesnt everyone feel like this at some level , i relate to all of the things and as far as i can remember they were way worse before, but i have overcome everyrhing to a level , and something that helps overcoming it is realizing that almost everyone at some level feels the same things and stop victimizing yourself even more , like comeon its okay now guys cheerup its over you can be yourself now use all that fire that had been surpressed all those years to acheive your goals , hope all of you feel better and get blessed with all the happiness in thw world 😊😊

[@YumegakaMurakumo]

Everything you see in these notes realize you related to them but then strive to do the opposite of them. You are loved. You are worthy. First step is forgiving yourself and 2nd is to love yourself unconditionally.

[@freiagalacar5786]

I have experienced the same exact things my whole life. My dad verbally, mentally, psychologically & emotionally abused me since I was 5. My whole life I've been told and have thought something was wrong with me. I didn't realize or accept the truth until I was about 30 years old.

[@redram5150]

I’m not relating to many of these. Is it because I’m a man and these are specific for women? That’s not a complaint, but a genuine question. I dealt with emotional and physical abuse by my mother as a child, and when I was ill for long periods. My sister as well, although she wasn’t sick. Our younger brother was the apple of her eye. She’d yell at him, but never beat him for perceived infractions others would be. And she lavished him, oddly enough, with gifts. That being said, my sister and i moved out as soon as possible after graduation. Dad followed suit after our brother graduated. He stayed well into his mid 20s, oddly. Mom wouldn’t let us go out much. It took a long time to realize that other families don’t function like this. And it eventually became evident that her capricious nature and mood swings was a large part of what made living with her intolerable. My lack of exposure to healthier families isolated me from seeing it earlier. She was never consistent in her expectations, and exploded when something wasn’t how she wanted... which was often. Every Sunday afternoon she’d begin screaming that the house was filthy. We were all animals and “You better clean this sty!”. Our house was kept rather clean, I still believe. She was never religious, and rarely went to church. But if you asked her, she was the most pious person she knew. When I was sixteen, while she, dad, and I were standing in the family room, she announced she wanted to go to church regularly... which meant WE ALL were going. Dad told her right away he wasn’t interested, which ticked her off. I then said I could go now and then, but I wouldn’t be able to go regularly. Before I finished, she grabbed me by my arm, pulled me close, and began hitting me. NOW, MORE ON THIS: my mother is 6 ft tall and 325lbs. And, due to a longtime illness, less than a year prior I had an operation on the back of my head so surgeons could alter an issue with my spinal cord and brain stem. So what mom did, was pull me close and begin closed-fisted wailing on the BACK OF MY SKULL AFTER LESS THAN A YEAR FOLLOWING HER SON HAVING BRAIN SURGERY. She did this for approximately thirty seconds before dad, who’s a 6ft tall and 200lbs Marine, could get her away from me. She then screamed at the top of her lungs if my father ever touched her again she’d call the police and tell them he was beating her. However, after realizing how awful my mother is, I began trying to understand my situation better and read all I could. Thank you, internet. As soon as I could, I left. I’m not the type to back down when I know I’m being wronged. Moving out allowed me to engage my mother on an even playing field because there was nothing she could take from me. In the past she’d threaten property I worked hard to earn over perceived infractions that were nothing, but that was her way to exercise power. She knew around the time I was seventeen I wasn’t about to put up with her trying to physically overpower me. So she really increased her arbitrary complaints about how I dressed, my social life(she’d prevent us from leaving the home as much as possible, then call us losers for having no social lives), that we were stupid and would amount to nothing. So I sat down and decided one night, after moving out, how I was going to normalize my life in regard to my relationship with mom. At that point if I was going to have a relationship with my mother, it would be on my terms. I decided what level of politeness I would expect from her, and at what point she crossed a line I decided was unacceptable. At that point what was occurring would stop, conversations cease, and I would leave. And I am not about to explain what these rules are because she would interpret my sharing them as signal they were up for debate, I would hear her opinions regarding them, and choose to ignore them all together. And we have had some big arguments since. I’m not the type to back down when I know I’m being wronged. I’ve worked hard to create the life I have. However, mom doesn’t see it that way. I scraped and saved to buy a home at 21. A handful of years down the road, during a conversation on the phone that wasn’t going well from the start, mom begins patronizing me that I owe her for everything I have. “You’d have never afforded your home without me” came out of nowhere, followed by several other revelations of hers why I owe her so much. She actually had the gall to tell me she wanted her money back. I never borrowed a dime from her or dad. And even if I borrowed from him, he left you a while back. So that was me trying to fight histrionics and narcissism with logic. After I had my fill, * CLICK * On top of it, a year ago, mom called dad out of the blue to tell, not ask, him to remarry her because she deserves his military pension after he dies. He hung up. Not long after, my dad was married again. He put her name on the note for the house. He lives on the opposite end of the country. My mom called them in the middle of the night to scream at not him, but his new wife that she has no place being on the note of the house. I was informed that, before this woman told my mother a choice set of four letter words followed by hanging up on her, mom was billowing that “You have no right to MY HOUSE!” My mother is insane and abusive. But if I can grow into an independent man capable of creating healthy standards for relationships with others, and effectively standing up for and defending myself I believe just about anyone can. I know my story was meandering and could have been focused better. Sorry if it’s not fully clear.

[@w.mac13]

This is describing me right now as a teenager. My Parents used to argue a lot and I got bullied at school. At first I though arguments were a natural thing to do and tried to start them daily. Now I'm bullied for it and bottle up my emotions and can't arguments because they make me have a Panic Attack straight away and takes me up to an hour to recover.

[@punkrawkluv17]

Wow this totally blew my mind. Literally everything mentioned I can relate to or have experienced. My question is. How to I overcome all of these things? What step should I take?

[@nuncaigual180]

Each one described my struggle. Now what? That's always been the question. I am still surrounded by my family who still intimidates me and I cannot afford to leave, less a counselor to help through this psychologically.. I feel hopeless😣

[@bethjensen6560]

This was me,until I found a good therapist and let myself know what I know. We deserve to be here.

[@saarinenj1]

I can relate to all of those. When I reach my adulthood I will be like that and I'm already like that.

[@haruka5167]

All of it is true for me it is and was so damaging I had thoughts of running away or suicide. It feels like you are not safe anywhere it is truly traumatizing

[@jenburns8554]

This is right on..

[@LavCBeauty]

Spot on

[@girlinthesouth850]

This makes me sad. I have every one of these.

[@ourworldmylense]

Even as a teenager I can relate to all of these...

[@bcrusher3]

I can relate to a few of these at least and rather than being self aware I engaged in emotionally abusive behaviors myself toward my ex. We are no longer together and I have a lot to work on!

[@sophiepjx299]

this is so true

[@michaelc2551]

.....well. I relate to literally all of these.

[@BRITTWOODNESHIE]

I relate so much.

[@will-he8kc]

All Truth!

[@lauragadille3384]

I was bulled through k-12th grade so all of this makes sense. I was brought up strict and I meant strict Roman Catholic faith where everything you do or say has to be God's way or go to hell. I have a very hard time just being myself, when I was of age I choose not to believe in that brain washing bull shit. I'm a bit free but my brain has a hard time believing what's right or wrong or am I over thinking too much. I'm seeking counseling which is helping. Thank you for the video.

[@denoodles1248]

I am only a teenager and yet I feel relatable to these things.

[@flannelpillowcase6475]

personality type also plays a heavy role in this. i relate to a lot of these, but because i'm an INTJ/INFJ, there are a couple that don't apply to me because of my strong will and the confidence i derive from my high morality.

[@harleyquinn-xk2bh]

Yup I been emotionally aduse when I was teen and still flew adulthood by my mom and then my dad brother doing it to me

[@ameliamaharaj4683]

I am a teenager and I feel all these feelings everyday and I also feel like suicide is my only option 💔💔💔💔💔💔

[@miguelalves7333]

Do not even think about suicide..you have a long life in front of you. You will find peace and people that will treat you well in your journey. Be strong be well

[@michelled2947]

Suicide is not the option Amelia!!! Please understand that we as humans are all different and it’s our uniqueness that makes us special...

[@jillnewton9654]

This is it EXACTLY!

[@avatar3746]

I'm a kid/ teenager I can suriously agree life is hard

[@Axess-sv8nq]

I identify with a lot of those things. But, not all of them. I grew up in a physically, emotionally, and mentally abusive childhood that followed me into adulthood and the people I chose to stupidly trust.

[@mei2683]

Wait is this emotional abuse?? (The story im about to tell) So my parents always compare me with other children example they will tell me : Look at her she's always in the top achievers?!?! And I don't know if they realize but that really hurts sometimes I feel useless. One time they told me something that really stabbed my heart they told me to not talk back to them but I told them to please stop hurting me and she always think what I'm doing is wrong right now she's mad at me..

[@joyherring81]

Cookiezlita I would say yes that's emotional abuse. I'm sorry you have to go through that. Parents are human to they really don't realize the pain they're causing you. Xoxo I don't know what to say because really there is nothing I can say to fix this.

[@SatanenPerkele]

That sounds like narcissistic parents. but yeah, that is abusive/toxic behaviour.

[@agkdjsdjkd]

yes that is textbook emotional abuse. both the comparing you to other kids and the telling you to stop talking back. im so sorry this happened/is happening to you, your parents can rot in hell.

[@brysoncaskey4691]

Starting to all make sense

[@LoneStarRocker]

Never feeling worthy and also feeling like the problem instead of the solution.

[@micahrutland9021]

I have been insulted and verbally and mentally abused so much my whole life, by my alcoholic parents, and everyone I went to school with including the students, my friends, the teachers and the principals. that I struggle really hard with self-esteem. I constantly put myself down and I don't even realize when I'm doing it. Even as an adult my parents are constantly putting me down. Everything from my appearance to even my interests and hobbies are insulted. Going no contact with them soon.

[@Ashesinferno28]

Why do I relate to this...

[@proudchechen7170]

It defines me completely

[@Tingyunripoff]

I had these not only with my parents but also an old friend gc of mine

[@Luna-ft8yh]

This is me on so many levels

[@worm4175]

Not even an adult yet but I do all these things

[@optimal_key]

I can relate to the majority of these and i havnt even turned 17 yet..

[@PolarizeLPS]

This is me and I'm not even an adult, nor do I experience that severe emotional abuse if not any, not sure though, which I find quite interesting?

[@kavyarajendran4969]

IssacLPS exactly!!

[@Maddie-kp1si]

same :/

[@the_puppeteer2969]

I think these symptoms could also apply to social / generalized anxiety...

[@dewadharmawickrama2386]

Pls don't be a mental prisnor in your own mind .You can challenge those situations

[@glitchedsnow2101]

I can relate, And it still happens

[@arron4112]

Currently what I'm going through right now. It really hurts.

[@jasminzen]

totally relatable

[@stevenwatts586]

I need some advice, I am 30 and even though I don't live in my mothers house she lives with me, but its not my house I live with another family member. its a little confusing but at any rate this is not a her roof her rules kinda situation. I have a dog that me and the person I live with got right when I moved in. now its been bout a year and a half and this is when my mother moved in. as the "parent" of the dog I have rules and boundaries that I have set and well today she went outside and took the dog with her. that's not a problem my dog is an indoor/outdoor dog, but my dog has certain places in the yard that I don't want her going because of the fact that she will end up in the neighbors yard and like she has before she ran off and we found her 4 miles away several days later. just a quick side note we live out in the woods so she has plenty of room on our property but she wants to leave and go to others. anyway I see my dog going over to the area that I try to keep her away from and she would not listen to me and go somewhere else. I called several times at which point I started getting frustrated out of nowhere my mother screamed and yelled at me through her saying for her to go in the {explative} house. at which point I got angry and yelled at my mother about her not having any say in how I raise my dog and so on and so forth. I have a bad family dynamic anyway that im not gonna get into here, but what started as an issue about her not controlling me or how I handle my dog turned into her accusing me of disrespecting her and her throwing how im like my brother and knowing how he is that hurt me cause I am NOTHING like him. but anyway I know im not in the wrong because its my dog my rules and she has no say. but since she turned it into being about her (which is a very common thing) that makes me the bad guy and we haven't spoke all day and she wont apologize cause in her mind its my fault and I started it and all that. basically I have ways that I have handled stuff like this in the past but the difference now is not her house not her dog not her rules and im 30. I guess I really just need to vent some cause I don't have anyone to talk to

[@shortyshorty100]

IT'S SUCH A SAD THING, BUT I THINK THE WORST IS WHEN U CAN'T TRUST ANYONE. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE, IF U CAN'T TRUST UR OWN 1ST HAND FAMILY HOW CAN U TRUST ANYONE ELSE. IT SUCKS

[@seanrose902]

There is so much i learned from teachers and foster parents, but im turning 34 next week and i still feel irresponsible. I am a musician though i cant even take my guitar out of my house anymore.. my dreams are put aside cuz lack of self discipline and confidence.. ill just continue to do KZbin music videos from my home.

[@saminarose80]

I can’t even trust myself and I can’t find a goal/identity to add meaning to my existence.

[@butterflymagicwithhottea9291]

Yes to all of that

[@ppylas]

I can relate to all

[@YoungDarak]

Lol I grew up in Africa where parents, neighbors, teachers abuse kids everyday emotionally. No wonder Africa is still under developed.. thank God for opening my eyes to these videos I always thought something was wrong with me

[@thetoddandersonshow4067]

Thanks to james walter morrison sr I have so much ptsd from him #liljim. He was a monster he lives in lake city florida now and I live in Oregon and its still hard