RE: What it's like to be mentally abused - here is my take on it . My article called "You deserve it".
We are often set up on this path by our parents my mother was like that and I in most cases I chose partners that emulated either part or all of her worst behaviours. I am in most regards successful , independent and strong and immensely capable. Except in my personal relationships where I relived my childhood patterns ad nauseam. If I dissect the whys it is simple a part of me, a subconscious part, is trying to recreate the dynamics with other participants to maybe come out victorious for once -as the relationship to my mother will never resolve itself. But it is literal insanity because my partners like my mother were weak self serving cruel children who do not have the strength to fight their own demons so they rather make others miserable to feel better.
And even though i knew all this I always ended up in the same situation so I did the only thing I could do. I stopped dating. There will never be another relationship for me I am done. I rather focus on other things I am good at. Is it lonely, yes sometimes it is but it is so much better than the alternative.
The abuse I speak of here is by our partners. But you are right when you say it starts of young. I have seen many cases in which one or both the parents are dominant. The control over the child continues all the way into adulthood and in some cases literally till one of the parent dies. Post this the person is completely lost, has terrible relationships and basically screwed for life. Your case is again another example. In my culture we are thought never ever to disrespect our parents. For the strong willed rebel, this is easy to get out of but for someone who is emotional, this is a real bad situation. We are emotionally blackmailed into doing everything, be it studies, marriage or even how many children we should have. More so to girls than boys. This invariably makes you feel worthless and incapable of taking decisions in life. Parents when they get us (girls) married, automatically hand over the reins of our lives to that of our partners and the control and abuse continues. That is unless you crack and one day decide to break free.
nods what i was saying was that often kids that are abused later choose partners that are just like their abusers. the parents lay the seed so to speak.