Tags
Abuse, abusive relationships, anger, Assertiveness, Boundaries, Controlling People, Counseling, dysfunctional relationships, Emotional Abuse, Emotional and Psychological Abuse, Narcissism, Verbal Abuse
Abusers have no respect for boundaries. Even if you attempt to build an impenetrable fortress around you, an abuser will think nothing of blowing it up with the equivalent of emotional and psychological dynamite. You’ll find yourself crushed and flattened under the rubble, and while you’re crawling back out you’ll be blamed for the fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into.
Once you’ve extricated yourself from a toxic relationship, this tell-tale disrespect of personal boundaries can be a useful guide when it comes to avoiding the attentions of, and entanglements with other controlling people in the future. In fact, life seems to be handing me plenty of opportunities to hone this particular skill since I separated from my husband just over a year ago.
For example my hackles automatically go up when someone offers unsolicited advice. I don’t need to be told what to do; I need a listening ear and empathy. There are times when I need help. We all do, but it isn’t helpful if someone takes over my show. Both these instances – offering advice I haven’t asked for, and crossing the line between help and control – show that the other person has boundary issues; that they aren’t aware of where their personhood finishes and mine begins. Hence, they step into my space and act as if they are me. My emotional response is usually an internal feeling of anger at being ‘pushed around’. We need to listen to anger. In and of itself, it is not a negative emotion but a protective one. Anger tells us when our boundaries are being crossed, whether those boundaries are physical or psychic. Anger tells us we need to protect ourselves in some way.
Anger is your friend. Use it well and wisely.
Boundaries are also crossed whenever people label us as something we know to be untrue of ourselves. I recently pointed out to a relatively new male friend that I found an email joke he sent me inappropriate, outlining my reasons quite clearly. He turned nasty and told me (this person who barely knows me) that I have issues. I’d like a dollar for every controlling person who’s analysed my ‘issues’ for me without taking a jolly good look in the mirror first. It’s not that I believe I don’t have any issues. As far as I’m concerned the human condition is all about issues, and our efforts to overcome them, in our quest for personal and spiritual maturity. It’s just that I don’t believe an amateur psychologist has any right to take me apart and act as judge and jury regarding my emotional stability or lack thereof; nor do I believe I have the particular set of issues allocated to me by this almost-stranger.
I’m extremely grateful for these warning signs. By paying heed I have effectively sidestepped a couple of potential relationships that would likely have led to more control, abuse and grief. Perhaps I should have given them the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps if I had given them another chance or two or three, I might have granted them the opportunity to choose to grow and change. But I’ve reached an age and stage where I no longer wish to wait around for someone to catch up with me. I no longer wish to teach and guide and support such people. It’s time for me to reach for the good and allow the rest to slide on by. I listen to the wisdom of the still, small voice…and feel the peace.
Try setting a boundary and observe what happens. A controlling person will always react negatively.
Dr. Nicholas Jenner said:
Reblogged this on Dr Nicholas Jenner PsyD MA.
LikeLike
Miss Min said:
Thank you for the reblog. I’m glad you found it worthwhile. I’ve taken a quick look at your own site but will be back for some more reading as often as I can. There’s a wealth of information there. I’m currently studying a counseling diploma myself and have always regretted not being able to complete my psychology degree due to decades of chronic illness. Still…life gives us lemons as they say. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dr. Nicholas Jenner said:
I also enjoyed your blog..some very useful writing. Good luck with your degree!!
LikeLike
Miss Min said:
Thank you. That’s an excellent tip, by the way, and will work well for me too. Yes…they’re defending an abuser; how proud they must be. I’ll let you know how it goes.
LikeLike
Pieces of Bipolar said:
Recently finalised a 3 year divorce from an alcoholic, abusive husband. You are so right – he’d make the mess and then turn to me and say ‘see what you’ve done’ or my personal favourite ‘look what you made me do’. When I left, I didn’t know what a boundary was. My understanding now is ‘I teach them how to treat me’. What I permit and what I refuse is what defines my boundaries. Excellent article, very informative
LikeLike
Miss Min said:
I’m so sorry you went through that. It takes a long time to re-establish our sense of sense and put firm boundaries back in place. Abusers rip them right out from under you and it leaves us feeling shattered and unprotected – we are effectively unprotected without our boundaries. I love your current attitude that we teach them how to treat us. I’m just about to enter court proceedings myself and will bear your comment in mind. It will give me strength. Thank you for dropping by. I’m a little low in energy at the moment and am not really keeping up with my blog, but I hope to be back on deck shortly and will be looking forward to seeing how you are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pieces of Bipolar said:
Thank you for your comment. Oooo court, not nice. Hunker down to conserve your energy. You can pick up on the blog later. You need all your strength for court. I’ll be thinking of you. A trick I did was, so as not to be intimidated by the defense team, every time I looked at them, I repeated in my head “do you know you’re defending an abuser”. This generated contempt for the lot of them, and I wasn’t as frightened. Take good care Miss Min
LikeLike