Physical abuse causes bruises. Psychological abuse causes psychological trauma. Literally brain damage. And just how abusive parents will say their child “fell down the stairs” etc, to cover up the bruises they caused, psychologically abusive parents will say their child “has an inherent mental disorder” to cover up the abuse trauma they cause. As a society, we really need to be able to identify the effects and patterns of psychological abuse as a red flag of child abuse just the same as seeing bruises all over a child would alarm us 🚩

I had a dream about my mom making me clean her house as a kid and white gloving me the whole way. I'm mad at myself now for not standing up and screaming at her "Make my brother who's playing help out" and just running away.