Dear Nike007,

while sexual and physical abuse are overt and obvious, emotional abuse is rather covert and therefore rather difficult to see and understand. And therefore it is sometimes a bit difficult to say if it really was abuse or not. But either way, the feelings that go with it are just the same and this is the point.

I highly recommend to join "Adult Children of Alcolholics" online meetings. The ACA includes explicitly adult children of dysfunctional families. Alcoholic familes are automatically dysfunctional, but the thing is, that alcohol or drug abuse don't have to be present for a family to be dysfunctional, like in my case.

I've been participating in those online meetings for about a year and it has done miracles to me. What happens is there for sure is that your feelings are being validated. The experiences other people share might be different and yet the feelings that they express and share are just the same. A therapist usually just keeps on staring at you and taking notes. Friends usually just give you that sceptical doubtful look and indifferent response, because they haven't been through what you have been through and they just can't imagine.

But such a peer group really gives you confirmation and validation. And when you really see that your feelings are real and you're not crazy, this is extremely helpful and actually believe in yourself and this is the point from where you can start healing.