Can You Get PTSD From Emotional Abuse?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEmotional Abuse and PTSDEmotional Abuse and C-PTSDSigns of Emotional AbusePTSD SymptomsEffects of Emotional AbuseHow to HealNext in PTSD GuideHow PTSD Is Diagnosed

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Emotional Abuse and PTSD

Emotional Abuse and C-PTSD

Signs of Emotional Abuse

PTSD Symptoms

Effects of Emotional Abuse

How to Heal

Next in PTSD Guide

Emotional abusemay lead to PTSD or another stress disorder known asC-PTSD(complex post traumatic stress disorder). The two stress disorders have several overlapping symptoms. But C-PTSD often causes more extensive issues with emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, and negative self-thoughts.

This article explains how you can develop C-PTSD or PTSD from emotional abuse. Learn more about emotional abuse, its effects, and the signs you may be experiencing it.

How Is Emotional Abuse Related to PTSD?

Abusers can use many non-violent tactics to assert their power over someone. These emotionally abusive behaviors are meant to terrorize and control another person and keep them in theabusive relationship.

Living in this constant state of stress or experiencing extremely frightening events, such as being threatened, can lead to symptoms from the trauma.

Because the concept of C-PTSD is relatively new, healthcare providers typically make a diagnosis of PTSD instead of C-PTSD. Still, understanding C-PTSD helps providers more accurately define a person’s experience and form an appropriate treatment plan.

How to Recognize and Treat Complex PTSD

Emotional abuse is defined as any non-physical behavior that is designed to control, subdue, punish, or isolate another person through the use of humiliation or fear.

Emotional abuse includes—but is not limited to—the following tactics:

How Trauma Impacts the BrainDuring a traumatic event, the body produces large amounts of stress hormones which affect theamygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These areas of the brain are responsible for feelings and actions related to fear, clear thinking, decision-making, and memory. These functions and abilities have been found to be decreased in a person who has experienced trauma.

How Trauma Impacts the Brain

During a traumatic event, the body produces large amounts of stress hormones which affect theamygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These areas of the brain are responsible for feelings and actions related to fear, clear thinking, decision-making, and memory. These functions and abilities have been found to be decreased in a person who has experienced trauma.

PTSD From Emotional Abuse Symptoms

A person who is diagnosed with PTSD will experience symptoms that persist for months or even years after the traumatic event.

There are four categories of PTSD symptoms, which can vary in severity:

What Are the Signs of PTSD? 4 Ways to Tell

Research shows that people who experience emotional abuse often experience more severe depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional dysfunction compared to people who have experienced only physical abuse, only sexual abuse, or combined physical and sexual abuse.

Emotional abuse can have short and long-term effects on a person’s mental and physical health as well as their ability to have healthy relationships down the line.

Verywell / Danie Drankwalter

Mental Health

Emotional abuse can impact your mental health. Repeatedly experiencing emotional abuse can wear down your sense of self, self-worth, and confidence. You may find yourself feeling constantly afraid, ashamed, guilty, unwanted, powerless, and hopeless. You may feel like you’re unable to feel positive feelings. Emotional abuse can even lead todepressionandanxiety.

Physical Health

Emotional abuse puts the body in a constant state of stress, which can lead to physical health problems, including changes to the brain.Studies have also shown that children who experience psychological abuse are at higher risk for long-term and future health problems, includingdiabetes, lung disease,malnutrition, vision problems,heart attack,arthritis, back problems, andhigh blood pressure.

Interpersonal Relationships

When you have been in an emotionally abusive relationship, the abuser has probably made you feel isolated, unwanted, and alone. These experiences affect how you see yourself and others, even when the abusive relationship ends.

Many people who have experienced abuse feel distrustful of others and cannot form stable relationships. They may end up in another abusive relationship because the dysfunctional relationship dynamic has been normalized.

Understanding Relationship Trauma

How to Heal from C-PTSD

Individuals with PTSD should work with a mental health professional experienced with PTSD, such as a therapist or psychiatrist.

Treatment options for PTSD and C-PTSD include:

How PTSD Is Treated

Summary

Emotional abuse is a type of trauma that can lead to significant consequences. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that affects your thoughts, memory, emotions, and thinking. It can have you in a constant state of fear and alertness, which causes your body to produce large amounts of stress hormones.

Emotional abuse affects your physical and mental health, as well as your ability to form healthy relationships, even when you leave the abusive relationship. If you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, a mental health professional and appropriate medication can help you process your trauma and manage symptoms.

11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Giourou E, Skokou M, Andrew S, Alexopoulou K, Gourzis P, Jelastopulu E.Complex posttraumatic stress disorder: The need to consolidate a distinct clinical syndrome or to reevaluate features of psychiatric disorders following interpersonal trauma?.World J Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;8(1):12-19. doi:10.5498/wjp.v8.i1.12Maercker A.Development of the new CPTSD diagnosis for ICD-11.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2021 Mar;8(1):1-4. doi:10.1186/s40479-021-00148-8Karakurt G, Silver K.Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age.Violence Vict. 2013 Dec;28(5):804-821. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00041Roeckner A, Oliver K, Lebois L, Rooij S, Stevens J.Neural contributors to trauma resilience: A review of longitudinal neuroimaging studies.Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;11(1):508. doi:10.1038/s41398-021-01633-yAmerican Psychiatric Association.What is posttraumatic stress disorder?.Dye H.Is emotional abuse as harmful as physical and/or sexual abuse?.J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2020 Dec;13(4):399-407. doi:10.1007/s40653-019-00292-yU.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.Children’s Bureau.Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect.Huh HJ, Kim SY, Yu JJ, Chae JH.Childhood trauma and adult interpersonal relationship problems in patients with depression and anxiety disorders.Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2014;13:26. doi:10.1186/s12991-014-0026-yNational Institute of Mental Health.How is PTSD treated?.Schrader C, Ross A.A review of PTSD and current treatment strategies.Mo Med. 2021 Dec;118(6):546-551.

11 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Giourou E, Skokou M, Andrew S, Alexopoulou K, Gourzis P, Jelastopulu E.Complex posttraumatic stress disorder: The need to consolidate a distinct clinical syndrome or to reevaluate features of psychiatric disorders following interpersonal trauma?.World J Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;8(1):12-19. doi:10.5498/wjp.v8.i1.12Maercker A.Development of the new CPTSD diagnosis for ICD-11.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2021 Mar;8(1):1-4. doi:10.1186/s40479-021-00148-8Karakurt G, Silver K.Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age.Violence Vict. 2013 Dec;28(5):804-821. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00041Roeckner A, Oliver K, Lebois L, Rooij S, Stevens J.Neural contributors to trauma resilience: A review of longitudinal neuroimaging studies.Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;11(1):508. doi:10.1038/s41398-021-01633-yAmerican Psychiatric Association.What is posttraumatic stress disorder?.Dye H.Is emotional abuse as harmful as physical and/or sexual abuse?.J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2020 Dec;13(4):399-407. doi:10.1007/s40653-019-00292-yU.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.Children’s Bureau.Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect.Huh HJ, Kim SY, Yu JJ, Chae JH.Childhood trauma and adult interpersonal relationship problems in patients with depression and anxiety disorders.Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2014;13:26. doi:10.1186/s12991-014-0026-yNational Institute of Mental Health.How is PTSD treated?.Schrader C, Ross A.A review of PTSD and current treatment strategies.Mo Med. 2021 Dec;118(6):546-551.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Giourou E, Skokou M, Andrew S, Alexopoulou K, Gourzis P, Jelastopulu E.Complex posttraumatic stress disorder: The need to consolidate a distinct clinical syndrome or to reevaluate features of psychiatric disorders following interpersonal trauma?.World J Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;8(1):12-19. doi:10.5498/wjp.v8.i1.12Maercker A.Development of the new CPTSD diagnosis for ICD-11.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2021 Mar;8(1):1-4. doi:10.1186/s40479-021-00148-8Karakurt G, Silver K.Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age.Violence Vict. 2013 Dec;28(5):804-821. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00041Roeckner A, Oliver K, Lebois L, Rooij S, Stevens J.Neural contributors to trauma resilience: A review of longitudinal neuroimaging studies.Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;11(1):508. doi:10.1038/s41398-021-01633-yAmerican Psychiatric Association.What is posttraumatic stress disorder?.Dye H.Is emotional abuse as harmful as physical and/or sexual abuse?.J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2020 Dec;13(4):399-407. doi:10.1007/s40653-019-00292-yU.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.Children’s Bureau.Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect.Huh HJ, Kim SY, Yu JJ, Chae JH.Childhood trauma and adult interpersonal relationship problems in patients with depression and anxiety disorders.Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2014;13:26. doi:10.1186/s12991-014-0026-yNational Institute of Mental Health.How is PTSD treated?.Schrader C, Ross A.A review of PTSD and current treatment strategies.Mo Med. 2021 Dec;118(6):546-551.

Giourou E, Skokou M, Andrew S, Alexopoulou K, Gourzis P, Jelastopulu E.Complex posttraumatic stress disorder: The need to consolidate a distinct clinical syndrome or to reevaluate features of psychiatric disorders following interpersonal trauma?.World J Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;8(1):12-19. doi:10.5498/wjp.v8.i1.12

Maercker A.Development of the new CPTSD diagnosis for ICD-11.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2021 Mar;8(1):1-4. doi:10.1186/s40479-021-00148-8

Karakurt G, Silver K.Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age.Violence Vict. 2013 Dec;28(5):804-821. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00041

Roeckner A, Oliver K, Lebois L, Rooij S, Stevens J.Neural contributors to trauma resilience: A review of longitudinal neuroimaging studies.Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Oct;11(1):508. doi:10.1038/s41398-021-01633-y

American Psychiatric Association.What is posttraumatic stress disorder?.

Dye H.Is emotional abuse as harmful as physical and/or sexual abuse?.J Child Adolesc Trauma. 2020 Dec;13(4):399-407. doi:10.1007/s40653-019-00292-y

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.

Children’s Bureau.Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect.

Huh HJ, Kim SY, Yu JJ, Chae JH.Childhood trauma and adult interpersonal relationship problems in patients with depression and anxiety disorders.Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2014;13:26. doi:10.1186/s12991-014-0026-y

National Institute of Mental Health.How is PTSD treated?.

Schrader C, Ross A.A review of PTSD and current treatment strategies.Mo Med. 2021 Dec;118(6):546-551.

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