Would this be considered emotional abuse?

[red-flower]

I am posting as I am seeking advice on whether the behaviour of family members would be considered emotional abuse or a different form. Most information related to disability abuse refers to witholding medication or depriving you of care.

Recently, I accidentally expressed my discontent with the past behaviour of relatives which was experienced as a child. [I am omitting the details as it may identify myself.]

In response, my relatives have made many comments about my disability, particularly these relatives have made comments that they should/would try to gave me sectioned under the mental Act or made sarcastic comments suggesting that my biological father should attempt to have me sectioned.
I am not a risk to others or experiencing severe depression. These comments are completely not appropriate for the circumstances. However, my relatives are very aware of my history with a type of Anxiety disorder.

I have been documenting all my experiences of domestic abuse. Even if I do nothing with it, I find it reassuring to write about incidents.

[Darcy]

Hi my beautiful angel … red-flower,
Well done for posting and connecting on the forum.
I don’t have any experience in this area of family/disability abuse, I hope I’m understanding this correctly, however just wanted to acknowledge your post.
I would say that if you are in any situation where you feel less than yourself or that people are not treating you with love and respect this is a situation you need to start to think about changing… I hope that helps a little
Stay safe
Sending you love and support
Darcy xx

[Rosemary]

Hello red flower I feel others who dont understand
Anxiety and depression would not understand how
You feel some people are only happy if they use mental health or Disability against you because they now where our weak spots are and it would affects us when they are being unkind or abusive
Towards you it’s not okay for anyone to treat you in this way I’ve had this my self so I do feel
For you it’s not easy to put things back of our minds to forget what they had said to upset you.
My advice would be is to try and reach out to people who would understand how you are feeling
Sometimes we have to be strong and not show the people that up set us that it’s not geting to you.
Try and Google Ted talks I find this helpful for my self. talk out to women aid if things are affecting your mental health. Not many people understand how your feeling unless they have been there self.haveing mental health dont mean your any different to anyone elese it just we need more support than others .

[Anonymous]

This partially happened to me. I was in a great deal of pain and I lost control of bodily functions. I was told I was ‘mad’ and if I were an animal I would have been put down. I had tricks played on me with my memory. I asked health professionals if I was ‘mad’.

That was the start of them making me understand I was not mad and was having understandable distress to pain. They said they would be concerned if I was showing no emotion. I was told that psychological abuse and lack of control over you life can manifest in all kinds of pain and illness. To the extent it led to me being unable to speak.

I’m not ashamed to say I wanted a way out of life. I still do sometimes as my pain is so very bad.

Every day is a struggle to find my way back to health and a reason to live. Frightening someone into thinking they might be sectioned will only be adding to your distress. So know this. Family have no control over decisions regarding sectioning. That is solely down to doctors or other mental health professionals. They are experts in recognising that severe distress does not come from nowhere and would be very suspicious of someone suggesting that. Only what you say counts. They would only be interested in you being safe.

An anxiety disorder does not get you sectioned. It is cruel to suggest it does. If that were the case half the country would be in hospital.

I was always told do you think what’s happening to you is ok to happen to someone else? Would you think it ok if it was happening to a friend?Immediately it becomes clear it’s not ok or acceptable.

The hardest part for me has been knowing it’s not ok but still feeling pulled back.

I think it is abuse. I think others on here would be better qualified to advise what to do about it. I just wanted to tell you I understand.

[Funduro]

Hi,

My family have been abusive towards me because of my mental health.

I have bipolar disorder and PTSD, have never taken medication because there are healthier smarter ways to deal with mental health that I have learned, but I’ve always had ignorant abusive people try pick on me for my mental health, saying that I need to be medicated as I don’t accept their abusive behaviours.

Your family sounds horribly abusive to threaten being sectioned.

Depression is so common yet still all this ignorance about it and it’s sad when those ignorant people are within your own biological family.

If people stopped abusing others, there would be no mental health problems to start with, that’s my take anyway.

[Author]

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