Is this emotional abuse?

[fashiondevotee]

Within a family context:

• Half the time, spoiled with gifts, treats, holidays, occasional pleasantries and compliments, nice/okay days spent together, etc.
• The other half, yelled at, criticised for pretty much every aspect of your life, compared to others, told you're a bitch, whore, freak, that you ruined the family, that you're so terrible you make your family want to kill themselves.

No one believes me.

Who is treating you like this?

Yes that's a horrible way to treat somebody.

Yes, that's abuse.

Yes, it is. The nice elements you listed to start with are irrelevant. Abusers have to be nice some of the time or they wouldn't even get as far as a second date.

I believe you, others will too.

Your DH? He sounds unstable

Who are you relating to ? I can totally relate to you , there’s nothing worse especially if your not the type of person to treat someone like that it’s hard to try figure out why they are doing it

Not my partner, my parents.

In England and Wales I think abuse by parents counts as domestic abuse

Absolutely this is abusive behaviour.

Abusive.

Limit contact and perhaps join the 'stately homes' thread?

Thanks all... just never feel like emotional abuse is seen as valid like physical/sexual are. :(

That's because it's harder to recognise

Are you living at home?

No, I moved out a few years ago (much to their chagrin). I now get the abuse via text/emails. I had a complete breakdown six months ago, I couldn't even leave the house or I'd have a panic attack. I'm 'better' now (aka I can work again) but I feel mentally demolished and I'm only 25. I can't remember ever feeling happy. Seeing their names pop up on my phone makes my heart race. If someone seems angry or unhappy, it makes my heart race. I lose it with anger or tears several times a day, my poor boyfriend is at a loss of what to do. I've seen doctors/psychiatrists who suggested I have C-PTSD, and I take Prozac but nothing helps. I can't accept in my head that maybe my parents were abusing me, I feel like I was just a terrible child.

On Thank goodness.I thought you were having to live with that all the time.
I'm so sorry you are suffering still. I think you must follow through with other therapy as well as prozac, this is no way for you to live at such a young age.
Have a hug from me (((())))))

This is definitely abuse and organisations like Women's Aid will support you to put boundaries in place and work on healing. Best wishes to you xx

This is absolutely abuse, I'm sorry you are treat this way by the people who's purpose it is to love you unconditionally

Being family doesn't give people a pass to treat you like utter shit

Put some serious thought into going NC for the sake of your mental health which has already taken a battering at the hands of people who sound like complete narcissists

You were not a terrible child OP, your parents were not the parents that you needed them to be.

CBT is free on the NHS and you can self refer - it could really help you, as could other talking therapies.

Realising that you suffered emotional abuse is the first stage of recovery, and the realisation process can be very hard to get your head around.

I bet you were a lovely child.
It's just an outrage you didn't get the love you deserved then.
But you did deserve it and you still do.
You're still young and you will get better.
You'll find a way that works for you.

Treating yourself to little things to appeal to your little self can help.
For me, that means going to the paperchase sale or buying a packet of red lace sweets or something.
Or I kicked a pile of leaves yesterday.

Just remember to pat yourself on the back for surviving this long under very difficult circumstances. You're amazing.