verbal vs. physical abuse...which is worse?

Question

no one should ever tolerate either one...but which is worse and has a lasting affect...such as scarring the soul...
what does it do to you..and how can you hep heal someones who's verbally abused to get back what they may have lost

Answer 1

verbal

most physical abuse cures over time verbal doesn't

Answer 2

Being abused both ways, I'd have to say they were equally devastating.
Physical abuse leaves scars on your body, and sometimes they heal, sometimes not.
Verbal abuse leaves scars on your soul, on your being, on your sense of reality. Sometimes they heal, sometimes not.
Trust me, both are equally devastating. When women are in an abusive relationship, some say that they wish their boyfriends/husbands/partners would have just slapped them as that scar goes away. Being called a "useless, stupid, ugly, fat, lazy b***ch every few hours, you soon believe it. Mind you, when the abuser is physical, it is ALWAYS my fault that I made them get that mad in the first place, and after thinking about it, pretty soon, you believe that too. I can't pick on over the other, as they both leave scars that not even time can heal.....If you are in a relationship you think may be physically abusive or verbally, please, please, get out while you can!! I'm lucky, I got out. Not before serious damage was done, but I DID get out. I had loving friends, and a great family to help me. So, if that's you, GET OUT NOW! Helping someone who has been there? Just be very loving, very patient, let them talk when they feel like it, let them cry, you can try say touching them on the shoulder, but they might cringe. Just love them for who they are, and continue to tell them that they are beautiful, wonderful, caring, etc. Don't overdo it though. Just make a point of telling them something good about them without making it sound fake, cause they will be able to hear that in your voice. You do have to be careful, and very sensitive. Good luck, and I'll pray for that person!

Answer 3

Both have a lasting effect.
I dont honestly believe that you can say one is worse than the other...... They both scar the soul immensely.
Someone that has been abused - verbally or physically- needs the reasurrance that it is NOT THEIR FAULT. They need to see that the abuser is the one that is at fault, there is no excuse at all for abusing someone. The abused need love and support to rebuild their lives, to be made to feel that they are as special and worthy of respect as everyone else.
Be there for them, let them know that they can talk at any time and that you will listen today, tomorrow or ten years time. The tiniest of things can trigger the horrid memories of abuse.
Good luck x

Answer 4

All abuse scars the soul, verbal, physical, and emotional. It's difficult, if almost impossible to get back all, but it is possible to get back some. Usually, self-esteem is low, anxiety is high. Self blame, self doubt. Therapy helps tremendously, sometimes meds are needed too.


To "Alexander" who said that there isn't any such thing as verbal abuse, if you were told day after day, by someone who supposedly loves you, that you were ugly, fat, stupid, worthless, wouldn't you think that it would do some damage mentally? And some people have parents or husbands or wives that do this to them. It's cruel, and it hurts, and it's as bad as being hit.

Answer 5

verbal....!!! the former is much worse than the later...in fact both are bad and worst case scenario, but physical abuse tend to heal at some/certain point in time, whereas verbal does do that way, the hurtin' feelings/soul/mind of such words can be a life long time to heal [ or maybe not ] and not to mention to forget 'em....
at times, we have to see many factors involving such cases to happen and why?? we can console them, give some boost in confidence, moral support plays a part, but on the contrary, it will definately take time to heal form verbal abuse is severe and deep...to forgive and forget is not an easy task, been there done that, bcoz someone did verbal abuse to me 1 in family and 1 in friend and it really tore me down, sad distrought, stressed out, angry, etc and somehow from the boost and support of my wife, i manage to pull on together...

Answer 6

Both damage the body and soul of a person
Both will damage the giver and the receiver.
Both will hurt for a life time.
A person that has been physically harmed will say "physical" and the person that has been verbally beaten will say "verbal" but the person that is both physically & verbally hurt will say "Both" always.
I don't think tolerating is a word a P&V person knows until they are out of the situation.
May sound corny but love & time still heal all things.

Answer 7

they are both the most terrible , on is not worse than the other. It will take years of therapy to help their self esteem. Encourage the someone to seek help through therapy. It breaks down your self image thru time of verbal abuse. You are actually brainwashed to thinking you are less than you are. Physical abuse is much the same as one comes to expect that they are not worth living with unless they are abused. It is a sad state of affairs for the abused as it is the abuser that is really the one with the low self esteem and needs the other person to verbal or physcial abuse to help them feel like they are just above slime.

Answer 8

physical abuse if there are brusies,broken bones etc, the body of course will heal it,but once someone has been beaten it does something to them, its hard to explain if you never been through it. On the other hand verbal will be with you forever,especially if you heard the same crap over and over again the person starts to believe the lies and you can not love yourself like you should be able to, and as far as healing it takes a long time i think, and sometimes if the hurt is real bad they will never get over it..

Answer 9

verbal can destroy a persons self esteem and ruin their life! Physical is more of a temporary pain. I think Verbal abuse is worse!
The only help you can give is friendliness and councelling

Answer 10

I would much rather be hit. It makes it easier to walk away, and others will see bruises and be supportive. Verbal abuse leaves no visible scars, but it hurts so bad coming from someone you love so much. And you want so badly for them to love you and treat you nice, you stay with them just hoping that things will go back to being good. If they don't you become convinced that you don't deserve better because this person is supposed to love you, so maybe thats the "love you deserve."

Answer 11

Physical for sure.

With verbal abuse you can either tune it out or talk back. Words can't kill you. It's more of a psychological battle of wits and how you react to it.

When it's physical then it's doing real bodily harm with indisputable consequences that could wind up permanently injuring you and/or killing you.

A broken heart can heal. A ruptured heart can't.