--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To any survivor who may be doubting…" description: "\"“To any survivor who may be doubting whether what they’ve experienced is truly abuse, remember that emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse will nev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/shahida-arabi-26031_abuse_to-any-survivor-who-may-be-doubting-whet_3219571.jpg" --- # To any survivor who may be doubting whether what they’ve… ![“To any survivor who may be doubting whether what they’ve experienced is truly abuse, remember that emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse will never be, and should never be, considered part of the messy equation of a normal relationship. As both metal health professionals and survivors can…” quote by Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/shahida-arabi-26031_abuse_to-any-survivor-who-may-be-doubting-whet_3219571.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/shahida-arabi-26031_abuse_to-any-survivor-who-may-be-doubting-whet_3219571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/shahida-arabi-26031_abuse_to-any-survivor-who-may-be-doubting-whet_3219571.jpg) > ““To any survivor who may be doubting whether what they’ve experienced is truly abuse, remember that emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse will never be, and should never be, considered part of the messy equation of a normal relationship. As both metal health professionals and survivors can attest to, the traumatic highs and lows of being with a narcissist, a sociopath, or a psychopath are not the natural highs and lows of regular relationships. That suggestion is quite damaging to society and to survivors all around the world.”” [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse are often minimized in relationships, especially with narcissistic or sociopathic partners, and that this minimization harms survivors. **In simple terms:** Abuse can be invisible and is often downplayed, hurting survivors. Key Takeaway Validate all forms of abuse and support survivors. Themes abuse psychology relationships survivor support Mood empathetic urgent Type educational advocational When to use this quote - counseling - support groups - education - legal protection - media awareness Key Concepts narcissism psychopathology trauma social stigma Questions to Reflect On - How can we better recognize non-physical abuse? - What societal changes can protect survivors? A Different Perspective Abuse may be subtle and still deeply damaging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-remember-5563873/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Domestic abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domestic-abuse/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Highs and lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highs-and-lows/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Normal Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-relationship-1647089/) [Psychological Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological-abuse-2/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Relationship Metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-metal-6047501/) [Truly Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-abuse-6047499/) [Verbal abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verbal-abuse/) ## Related quotes > [“It has been said that in every being there is another being and this being is the true self. Not a double. Not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-davison/it-has-been-said-that-in-every-being-there-is-another-being-and-this/) [Philip Davison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-davison/) > [“The fact of the matter is, if you haven’t been in an abusive relationship, you don’t really know what the experience is like. Furthermore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-if-you-haven-t-been-in-an-abusive/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“Your husband's abuse of you feels "normal" to him. A goal of a abuser treatment program is to teach a healthier normal for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-abbott/your-husband-s-abuse-of-you-feels-normal-to-him-a-goal-of-a-abuser/) [Caroline Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-abbott/) > [I had a totally normal relationship with my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-pomers/i-had-a-totally-normal-relationship-with-my-body/) [Scarlett Pomers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-pomers/) > [Look, I have a completely normal relationship with Sarri. I don't go out for dinner with him. I don't go round to his house.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorginho/look-i-have-a-completely-normal-relationship-with-sarri-i-don-t-go/) [Jorginho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorginho/) > [“My secret still sits, burning, in the bottom of my belly – that I love him. That I will always love him. And everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-ellison/my-secret-still-sits-burning-in-the-bottom-of-my-belly-that-i-love/) [Kate Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-ellison/) > [It was an odd relationship, but then she was an extraordinary woman: a prioress who doubted much of what the church taught; an acclaimed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/it-was-an-odd-relationship-but-then-she-was-an-extraordinary-woman-a/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [I don't know how to have a normal relationship because I try to act normal and love from a normal place and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-don-t-know-how-to-have-a-normal-relationship-because-i-try-to-act/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I think any relationship that is normal - I mean, there's no normal relationship, but in terms of a flawed relationship, there's always gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-poots/i-think-any-relationship-that-is-normal-i-mean-there-s-no-normal/) [Imogen Poots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-poots/) > [“When people can’t handle their partner’s periodic requests for privacy or their random bursts of anger and anxiety, they resort to extreme measures (aggression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/when-people-can-t-handle-their-partner-s-periodic-requests-for/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Good or bad, if you’re not “normal,” you can’t have a normal relationship. If you are different, people will relate to you differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/good-or-bad-if-you-re-not-normal-you-can-t-have-a-normal-relationship/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [The thing about boarding school is everyone launches themselves into really serious relationships really quickly, almost out of boredom. You live there and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/the-thing-about-boarding-school-is-everyone-launches-themselves-into/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [Intimacy is a normal part of any relationship, whether it's on television or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andi-dorfman/intimacy-is-a-normal-part-of-any-relationship-whether-it-s-on/) [Andi Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andi-dorfman/) > [Growing up, I had a very normal relationship with my brother and sister. But, over time, they became my best friends, and now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-lerman/growing-up-i-had-a-very-normal-relationship-with-my-brother-and/) [Logan Lerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-lerman/) > [“Denial is a powerful human component that cannot be ignored in the context of psychological abuse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/denial-is-a-powerful-human-component-that-cannot-be-ignored-in-the/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) ## More by Shahida Arabi > [“the same time, a relationship with a narcissist is also a cataclysmic rude awakening into the fact that people are rarely who they portray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-same-time-a-relationship-with-a-narcissist-is-also-a-cataclysmic/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“along. See, narcissists don’t truly feel empathy for others – so during the discard phase, they often feel absolutely nothing for you except the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/along-see-narcissists-don-t-truly-feel-empathy-for-others-so-during/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“What’s important to remember is that while human beings in general can engage in toxic behaviors from time to time, abusers use these manipulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/what-s-important-to-remember-is-that-while-human-beings-in-general/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“The more power they have over your emotions, the less likely you’ll trust your own reality and the truth about the abuse you’re enduring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-more-power-they-have-over-your-emotions-the-less-likely-you-ll/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“Triangulation Healthy relationships thrive on security; unhealthy ones are filled with provocation, uncertainty and infidelity. Narcissists like to manufacture love triangles and bring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/triangulation-healthy-relationships-thrive-on-security-unhealthy-ones/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“Dissociation leaves us disconnected from our memories, our identities and our emotions. It breaks the trauma into digestible components, so that different aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/dissociation-leaves-us-disconnected-from-our-memories-our-identities/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“Their manipulation is psychological and emotionally devastating – and very dangerous, especially considering the brain circuitry for emotional and physical pain are one and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/their-manipulation-is-psychological-and-emotionally-devastating-and/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“Keep interactions as short as possible; you can be cordial, but do not engage. Narcissists are master provocateurs who will subject you to dizzying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/keep-interactions-as-short-as-possible-you-can-be-cordial-but-do-not/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“The fact of the matter is, if you haven’t been in an abusive relationship, you don’t really know what the experience is like. Furthermore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-if-you-haven-t-been-in-an-abusive/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“A child that’s being abused by its parents doesn’t stop loving its parents, it stops loving itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/a-child-that-s-being-abused-by-its-parents-doesn-t-stop-loving-its/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“In the book Psychopath Free by Jackson MacKenzie, the method of triangulation is discussed as a popular way the narcissist maintains control over your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/in-the-book-psychopath-free-by-jackson-mackenzie-the-method-of/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“Triangulation is the way the narcissist maintains control and keeps you in check — you’re so busy competing for his or her attention that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/triangulation-is-the-way-the-narcissist-maintains-control-and-keeps/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“The narcissist relies on jealousy as a powerful emotion that can cause you to compete for his or her affections, so provocative statements like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-narcissist-relies-on-jealousy-as-a-powerful-emotion-that-can/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“The narcissist cultivated your need for his or her validation and approval early on in the idealization phase. By making you dependent on his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-narcissist-cultivated-your-need-for-his-or-her-validation-and/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) > [“So for those who think abuse survivors can simply logically process their situation and get out of and over the situation easily, think again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/so-for-those-who-think-abuse-survivors-can-simply-logically-process/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) [Explore all 22 Shahida Arabi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To any survivor who may be doubting whether what they’ve experienced is truly abuse, remember that emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse will never be, and should never be, considered part of the messy equation of a normal relationship. 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