Psychologically Abused Children Also Suffer Major Trauma
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iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — Hearing about children who’ve been physically or sexually abused makes just about everyone’s blood boil. However, people may be less inclined to worry as much about youngsters who’ve suffered at the hands of parents who may have bullied, threatened, isolated or insulted them.
Yet, underestimating the damage caused by psychological abuse is a serious problem, according to the American Psychological Association, which concludes that it’s as bad or even worse at times as physical or sexual abuse.
By studying more their 5,600 mental histories of children, the APA found that “among the three types of abuse, psychological maltreatment was most strongly associated with depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, attachment problems and substance abuse.”
What makes it particularly dangerous is that there are often no obvious signs of damage, unlike physical battering, which can leave conspicuous marks.
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