Dog-blowing abuse: the manifestation and coping strategies of invisible psychological violence

Dog-whistle abuse is an invisible psychological violence. The abuser makes the victim feel wronged and angry through words and hints. This article deeply explores the definition, harm and response methods of dog-whistle abuse to help you identify and Respond to this mental abuse.

What is dog-whistle abuse?

Dog-blowing abuse is an invisible psychological abuse. The abuser accurately stimulates the most sensitive points in the victim through the association of language suggestion and situation. Its characteristic is that the abuser speaks words in public that seem harmless but actually targets the victim, which are only understood by the abuser and the victim, but outsiders sound no problem and may even think The victims overreact.

For example, in public, if a person cares a lot about his height or figure, the abuser may say when he sees someone with good figure or tall figure: ‘Wow, it’s so thin’, ‘Look, that figure is really good,’ and ‘Look, ” and use suggestive eyes or actions to deepen the direction of the situation. The victim may feel uncomfortable and angry because of this, but in the eyes of outsiders, these words are mere statements of facts, but instead the victim is overreacting and providing the abuser with a ‘innocent’ position. This psychological operation of ‘important meaning’ is the core of dog-whistle abuse.

Dog-whistle abuse is often concealed, and abusers often use verbal and nonverbal hints to manipulate in public or privately in order to make the victim feel uneasy or angry.

Common manifestations of dog-whistle abuse

Dog-whistle abuse is an invisible psychological manipulation in which the abuser mentally strikes the victim in an inconspicuous manner through speech and body language. Identifying these subtle behaviors can help you avoid becoming a victim. Here are some common manifestations:

1. Obscubative belittlement and irony: The abuser devalues the victim through seemingly praise words, such as saying ‘You are such a hard-working person’, implying that the victim is not talented enough and can only make up for the gap through hard work.
2. Repeated emphasis on shortcomings: The abuser often inadvertently mentions the victim’s sensitive shortcomings, such as appearance or ability, and continuously reminds the victim of his own shortcomings.
3. Use others’ praise: The abuser indirectly harms the victim by complimenting others, such as when others praise others, saying “She is really good, unlike some people…”
4. Reverse Attack Emotional Reaction: When the victim feels uneasy about words or behaviors, the abuser will criticize the victim for being “too sensitive” or “too emotional”, making the victim self-doubt.
5. Silent hint: In addition to language, the abuser also uses body language or eyes to imply the attack, which makes the victim feel uneasy or despised.
6. Tip the responsibility to the victim: The abuser often uses the excuse of ‘I have no intention’ or ‘I am just kidding’ to push the responsibility to the victim, making them feel unreasonable.
7. Provoke conflicts: The abuser deliberately spreads one-sided information and provokes conflicts between victims and others, leaving the victims feeling isolated and helpless.

If you find that people around you often use these methods to make you feel uncomfortable, and even when you seem ‘unreasonable’ to outsiders, you may be suffering from whistle abuse. Identifying these behaviors is the first step to preventing harm, keeping a distance from the abuser in a timely manner or seeking professional help can effectively protect yourself from it.

The dangers of dog-whistle abuse

The long-term effects of dog-whistle abuse can cause far-reaching psychological trauma to the victims, specifically manifested as:

• Damage of self-esteem and self-confidence: The abuser often selects places where the victim is most sensitive or unconfident to attack, such as appearance, ability, family status, etc. Over time, victims may begin to doubt their own value and develop inferiority complex.
• Social Relationship Distance: The emotional fluctuations of the victims in public may lead to misunderstandings or resentment among the people around them. Because the abuser always cleverly causes discomfort in the victim, the victim’s emotional management ability is weakened, thereby aggravating the sense of alienation from others.
• Emotional problems and psychological trauma: Long-term psychological abuse will cause the victim to suffer huge emotional pressure, leading to the occurrence of psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and mental distress. If these problems are not handled in time, they may have serious impacts on the lives of the victims.

How to deal with dog-whistle abuse?

Dog-whistle abuse is an invisible psychological violence that manipulates the victim through subtle language and cues. Identifying and adopting effective response strategies can help you protect yourself and reduce damage. Here are some actionable suggestions:

1. Keep calm and do not respond to provocations: When encountering provocations, try to avoid responding immediately. Take a deep breath and give yourself a few seconds of buffering time to avoid emotionally leading reactions. You can try to divert your attention, or simply not respond, leaving the abuser out of control.
2. Don’t justify your feelings: Dog whistle abuser may make you feel overly sensitive or overreact. In this case, don’t try to explain your emotions to them or others. Instead, you can tell the abuser directly, “I don’t like you saying that” and stay firm. Don’t give them the chance to further exploit your emotions.
3. Set clear boundaries: Set boundaries immediately when the abuser’s behavior makes you uncomfortable. For example, ‘Please don’t mention this topic again, I don’t want to continue discussing it.’ If the abuser continues to cross the line, you can gradually reduce contact with them, avoid in-depth communication with them, and protect your emotional safety.
4. Refusing to blame yourself and enhancing confidence: The abuser often manipulates by making you doubt yourself. When encountering this situation, remind yourself that it is the abuser’s problem, not your fault. Try to talk to yourself and keep yourself confident. If you have any doubts, seek support from a friend or psychological counselor to help yourself keep your mind clear.
5. Search for external support: Don’t suffer from dog-whistle abuse alone. Find people you trust, share your feelings, and listen to their opinions and suggestions. An objective perspective can help you clarify the problem and reduce emotional troubles.
6. Search for professional help: If you find that you cannot get out of this emotional dilemma, or have begun to affect your daily life, it is very important to seek professional psychological counseling. Psychologists can help you identify the behavior patterns of the abuser and provide you with effective coping skills.

Through these strategies, you can effectively identify and deal with dog-blowing abuse, protect your mental health, and avoid falling into the control of your abuser. If you need to know more about your psychological state or are experiencing similar emotional distress, you can visit the PsycTest official website for self-evaluation to check whether you are suffering from psychological manipulation.

Conclusion

Dog-whistle abuse is an extremely hidden but far-reaching act of psychological violence. It puts victims in trouble and even self-doubt through clever verbal and behavioral manipulation. Identifying and effectively dealing with this abuse is the key to protecting one’s own mental health. If you think you may be in the role of victims of this psychological violence, please seek help in a timely manner to avoid the impact of this psychological harm on your people’s growth period.

In addition, if you feel that you are experiencing emotional or psychological distress, the official PsycTest website provides a variety of free online tests to help you better understand your mental health status. For example, you can try the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) online test , or evaluate whether there is PTSD, and visit the PTSD Self-Assessment Scale for further help.

Link to this article: https://m.psyctest.cn/article/VMGY9PGA/

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