Often, children who are emotionally abused develop a disorder like anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. This is because in emotional abuse, the psyche of the child is attacked through criticism, sarcasm, scathing remarks, and other forms of verbal abuse. Their confidence hits rock bottom and they either begin to binge eat to comfort themselves, or develop anorexia or bulimia to do what they think their parents want. Often, an abusive parent will tell a child that they are ‘worthless’ for doing the ‘wrong’ thing. The child then develops a fear of trying new things simply because they are afraid they will fail and be verbally abused. Some children who are emotionally abused may avoid projects or working with other people because they are afraid they won’t do a good enough job. If you noticed that the child in question has suddenly started stealing, it may mean that there is something bad going on at home. Children who are emotionally abused may do things that allow them to get the upper hand on someone because they cannot seem to get the upper hand on their family life. These things could include bullying, stealing, lying, or risk taking. Children who are emotionally abused may also develop a tendency to try to please everyone around them. They may become submissive or subservient in an attempt to win the approval of others. If a child has never had a stutter before and suddenly develops one, it may be because they are being emotionally abused. Children who are constantly told they are wrong or worthless can develop a fear of displeasing everyone, not just the person who is abusing them. They may take longer to answer questions or start to stutter out of fear that they will give the wrong answer.
لاحظي إن أصاب الطفل اضطراب في تناول الطعام. لاحظي إن كان الطفل يخاف من الفشل. انتبهي للطفل الذي يبدأ في السرقة على وجه الخصوص. لاحظي إن أصبح الطفل غير معتز بنفسه. لاحظي إن بدأ الطفل في التلعثم.