Emotional abuse and emotional neglect can look similar, but affect a relationship in different ways.

Emotional neglect often shows up as missing or misunderstanding a partner’s feelings.

Emotional abuse dismisses feelings and shifts blame back onto the other person.

Emotional attunement happens when a partner notices, validates, and responds to emotions.

Let’s face it, relationships are complicated. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me, “Is this normal?” about their relationship.

One of the most confusing gray areas is the difference between emotional abuse and emotional neglect. Since neither is physical, both are difficult to perceive. Still more difficult is telling them apart. Even mental health professionals sometimes struggle to define the difference, and sometimes emotional neglect can be so severe that it crosses over the line and becomes abuse.

How good are you at differentiating between them? Read about this interaction between Marcy and Jeremy below. Identify each option as emotional abuse, emotional neglect, or neither. Then read on to see if you got them right.

Marcy sits in the car outside Jeremy’s office for half an hour, waiting for him. She is fighting off panicky feelings about attending her high school reunion. Marcy was bullied in high school and is anxious about........

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