Verbal abuse is a form of emotional abuse where someone uses their words to invoke fear in another person and gain control over them.1 Types of verbal abuse include name-calling, criticizing, gaslighting, and threatening.
The only effective way to put an end to verbal abuse is to call out the abuser each time they strike. If someone blames you for something you have no control over, you need to ignore the actual content of what's been said, identify the type of abuse employed, name it, and calmly ask the abuser to stop it (Evans, 2009).
Verbal harassment can take place in front of others or in private. While verbal abuse is not illegal per se, it is illegal in the workplace if it is associated with sexual harassment or racial discrimination, or if it is part of another type of harassment or discrimination.
A verbally abusive relationship can cause a person to become plagued with depression, the gradual development of introversion, mood swings, lowered self-esteem, misplaced guilt, isolation, loneliness, and posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD (Lommen & Ehlers, 2014; Malenka & Deisseroth, 2014; Sullivan, 2018).
The only effective way to put an end to verbal abuse is to call out the abuser each time they strike. If someone blames you for something you have no control over, you need to ignore the actual content of what's been said, identify the type of abuse employed, name it, and calmly ask the abuser to stop it.
Verbal redirection involves verbally requesting a behavior. The parent first tells the child that the behavior they are doing is not appropriate, and then tells them what is acceptable. This will help the child understand the correct way to behave.
Examples of Precipitating Factors
The causes behind aggressive behavior can include (but are not limited to): Fear, anxiety, stress. Unmet physical needs (hunger, silence) or emotional needs (recognition, love) Traumatic experiences.
What Is Verbal Abuse? Verbal abuse, also known as emotional abuse, is a range of words or behaviors used to manipulate, intimidate, and maintain power and control over someone. These include insults, humiliation and ridicule, the silent treatment, and attempts to scare, isolate, and control.
Frustration—in which a goal is blocked by someone or having to deal with an individual deemed "unworthy" of one's time. Social learning—in which the aggressive behavior has been learned from observing other individuals. Psychopathology—in which an individual attacks other persons because of unresolved issues.
Name-calling
If you've asked someone to stop calling you a name and they've ignored your request, they're being verbally abusive. Example: While an abuser might scream out harsh words like “worthless” or “idiot” during an argument, even supposedly playful nicknames and insults can be abusive if they're hurtful.
Assert yourself clearly, letting the other person know when something isn't your fault. If the person continues to point the finger at you, don't be afraid to call them out. For example, you might say, “Stop blaming me for something I had nothing to do with” or “I had no control over what happened.
Examples of verbal aggression include name-calling, shouting, and accusing. Similarly, relational aggression includes inflicting emotional pain through social isolation, group exclusion, and/or manipulation of relationships.
Behaviors often seen during aggressive communication include: putting others down, overpowering others, not showing appreciation, rushing others unnecessarily, ignoring others, not considering others' feelings, intimidating others, and speaking condescendingly.
Examples of an aggressive communication style include saying things like: "This is all your fault." "It's my way or the highway." "Do what I say."
Allowing someone to speak and listening to what they have to say often helps calm them down – in many cases, people simply need to vent their frustration. Therefore, an important skill to have when dealing with people – particularly when they're behaving aggressively – is active listening.
Aggressive communication is described as expressing your feelings and opinions strongly and as they occur. Clients were taught the verbal characteristics of aggressive communication (eg, shouting, yelling, demanding, commanding, blaming, being critical, or being verbally abusive).
A verbally abusive relationship can cause a person to become plagued with depression, mood swings, lowered self-esteem, misplaced guilt, isolation, loneliness, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
While verbal abuse is not a crime in and of itself, it can easily turn into one if it includes threats of bodily harm. If the verbal abuse is criminal, you must immediately report it to the authorities and inform them if you are concerned about your safety.