But sometimes, the same route can take us to the darkest pits of our lives and one may find themselves in one abusive relationship. The abuse can be in any form from physical, financial, or verbal, etc and other people can notice it and offer to help, but it can also be emotional with emotional wounds that only the victim can see and feel. There are always signs, though and we’ve listed a few of them below. 

This is manipulation at its best. When your partner makes you constantly question yourself and has a way of making you believe that you’re seeing things that aren’t there, just know that’s a sign of emotional abuse and many others will follow.

Yes, we all can get moody now and then, but if your partner switches on and off every day making you believe that you’ve done or said something wrong, know that it’s going to get worse from there. That on and off is dangerous because when you’re around people, they will be friendly, laughing and chatting, but when it’s just the two of you, the monster side of them will show up and things will turn sour.

Many argue that this is not a form of abuse but we beg to differ. While there are times when your partner won’t feel like addressing an issue, due to anger, shock, or a need to process everything, there’s a way to convey this. But, blatantly ignoring your partner while they are trying to talk to you is a form of abuse. It’s painful because the victims are usually the only ones who know and feel it, because their partner may be talking to everyone in the room but them. It’s wrong and abusive. 

The above-mentioned points may all fall under this but it goes beyond that. This, like others, can be noticed and felt by the partner that is at the receiving end of it while others may not notice it at all. It takes away the victim’s joy while the abuser is happy to see the misery on the victim’s face and getting away with it.

You may look great in pictures, and people may call you a power couple, but deep down, in the heart of your hearts, you always know that you’re not happy. Even when there are moments of joy, they don’t last, they are just that- moments because the abuser may unleash their inner monster any minute. You’re never free until you find the courage to leave. But even then, the worst may follow you.

Read more: ZAlebs that have opened up about abuse