If the latest psychological studies are to be believed, then narcissistic abuse is directly related to anxiety disorders.
Emotional or mental abuse is bad on any given day, but as per the psychologists if these abuses are part of the growing years, then it leads to severe consequences. The child starts believing that everything that is going wrong is because of him or her.
Narcissistic treatment is the one where one person makes you believe that everything that is going wrong with you is actually your fault even when it is not. When a child is being convinced that everything is their fault, then it is completely natural that he will start disassociating himself from everything and later it leads to anxiety disorder in his adulthood. A list of common anxiety disorder has been published by Mayo Clinic:
Agoraphobia
An anxiety disorder that takes place when someone has the fear of going out in the open like any public place.
Selective mutism
Children tend to keep it to themselves and prefer to stay mum in certain situations and only choose to speak when they are in a relaxed environment.
Anxiety disorder
An anxiety disorder can set off due to any medical condition like panic attacks that are physically induced or intense anxiety.
Panic disorders
Here the person gets a panic attack, fearing the occurrence of a panic attack and it keeps coming back, thus forming a cycle of panic attacks.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Overwhelming anxiety about events or simple activities in a persistent manner is the main characteristic of this kind of anxiety disorder.
Separation anxiety disorder
Children are prone to this kind of anxiety disorder when they are going to a place where they have to leave their parents behind like in a school setting.
Social anxiety disorder
Here the person avoids going to a social gathering due to self-imposed negative emotions like fear, embarrassment, anxiety, etc.
Specific phobias
A person having a fear of specified objects or situations.
Substance-induced anxiety disorder
A person getting panic attacks due to the use or withdrawal of specific products.
Others
There are several other classified and unclassified anxiety disorders that don’t fit into any of the above categories, but they are equally unsettling. If one of the parents is emotionally abusive or narcissistic, then the children are prone to anxiety.
Moreover, it is seen that these kinds of people are actually good manipulators who can excuse themselves out of a situation through smart talks and turn the situation around entirely.
Emotional or mental abuses confuse the child because they can’t find a solution to the things that are not right. Narcissistic people aim at empathetic and compassionate people because they are easy targets and can be convinced easily.
Muhammad Gadit, Memorial University of Newfoundland found out in a study that the reason behind serious psychological problems can be traced down to verbal abuse. In later years, verbal abuse can also lead to brain damage apart from depression, dissociation, anxiety, and anger-hostility.
In Psychology Today, Doctor Douglas Fields explained how a hostile environment or the socially unhealthy environment can affect the development of the brain adversely and can eventually lead to brain impairment.
In the childhood, if someone has gone through sexual abuse or physical abuse or has been a witness to domestic violence, then the physical changes in the brain can be abnormal and the effect is a long-lasting one ultimately leading to psychological disorders.
If you, by any chance, have been a victim of abuse in any form during your childhood, then you are not at fault. Stop blaming yourself for things that weren’t under your control. Be patient with yourself and let the time heal your soul and make you a stronger person.
