Which do you think is worse? physical abuse or emotional/psychological abuse?

17 comments

1. Both aren’t great, but as someone who suffered both growing up, physical abuse is by far worse.

2. I can’t really speak for physical abuse, but emotional and psychological was more than enough to basically break me as a human being.. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can make you believe you deserved it..

3. As someone who’s experienced both. Physical abuse put my arm in a cast for less than a year, psychological abuse has put me in therapy for years with no cure in sight

4. Physical abuse still causes emotional and psychological damage so it “wins” in my book

5. [deleted]

6. Hard to imagine physical abuse that doesn’t double as emotional/psychological abuse.

   I say physical abuse since it’s a twofer

7. Physical because it’s both

8. Psychological abuse. This will get some hate, but the physical will heal may not be 100% but it’ll heal. Psychological abuse can and usually does last a lifetime. Even on strictly physical abuse it’s something that’s burned into you permanently and becomes Psychological abuse.

9. Emotional abuse lasts years. Far worse

10. Son of a single parent, first generation immigrant. Emotional abuse is worse. I don’t remember how it feels to get hit with any of the miscellaneous objects around the house. I do remember being called retarded because I dropped and broke a glass cup, or being ‘asked’ if I “want people to think I’m a bitch” for crying after a beating, or being gossiped about on the phone.

11. They can all be minor or major. I think the threshold for major damage is low when it comes to physical damage which makes it the worst.

12. Depends on how bad the physical abuse was. But for me the emotional abuse has had far more impact on my life.

    Though I’d also argue physical abuse is just another facet of emotional abuse since the people who love us aren’t supposed to physically hurt us in the first place so that’s really fucked up emotionally.

13. All types of abuse are worse, other people should not abuse other people because it will have a big impact on the victim life.

14. *”Which do you think is worse? physical abuse or emotional/psychological abuse?”*

    Yes.

15. I like both, hurt me more mommy

16. Well physical can actually kill you, so physical abuse.

17. I feel like emotional abuse ruins your life and your confidence but physical abuse hurts and will make you feel very unsafe everyday which then also causes emotional abuse so I would say physical is worse overall.