ask-an-mra-anything:

like one thing I REALLY want abuse survivors to know is that emotional abuse is a very serious type of abuse because I get a lot of emotional abuse survivors saying things like, “I know others have it worse, at least they never hit me. I feel bad that I’m complaining when people experience physical abuse too.”

Please, please, I beg you, as someone who experienced a lot of violent, physical abuse, I want you to know that I find your abuse to be just as valid as my physical abuse, and I never, ever want you to downplay the damage your emotional abuse did. Emotional abuse was a very real part of my abuse as well, and it was just as damaging as the physical abuse I experienced. and I have permanent injury from my physical abuse.

Emotional abuse is horrifying, and the pain it’s caused you is absolutely valid. never downplay it. never act like you should be grateful it wasn’t worse. you deserve to feel what you’re feeling because it should have never, ever happened to you.