The worst part about being in an emotionally abusive relationship is that you don’t realize you are in one. Emotional abuse in most cases are so subtle and passive that you may have been taking it over years and never thought of putting your foot down. It may come in small dozes, so you may have put off resistance thinking that things will be be better soon. But they don’t. And before you actually get to taking a step, you look inside yourself and see open, bleeding wounds that reek of humiliation.

So how do you know you are in an emotionally abusive relationship? Look for pointers. Are you being mocked, belittled or humiliated, publicly or privately? Are you being made to feel that you are a good-for-nothing? Is your self-respect and dignity being compromised? Many times your partner may be threatening to dump you or even threatening suicide. If you have mentally ticked all these points, you may be in an emotionally abusive relationship.

So what do you do now? Reflect. Do you need this? Will you be better off without a relationship problem that keeps popping its head every alternate day? There are two ways you can handle it. One, talk it out with your partner. Two, if you have already tried that and failed, you might want to take some stern step. But whatever you do, don’t turn a blind eye, expecting things to be fine all by itself. A cure is never in the denial of the disease.

What other aspects suggest that a relationship is emotionally abusive? Share with us.