You might be abused without even knowing. Abuse can take place in various forms and certain circumstances tend to make you blind from realising.

From a past relationship which I used to be very fond of and treasured dearly, I realised that abuse may not only be physical but also emotional. Name-calling and controlling should never be part of a relationship. I had gotten used to singing a song in my head because I was not even allowed to whisper it. Whispering songs always resulted in bad looks and guilt as I was made to believe so. Clothes I bought had to be liked by him or else I would indirectly be told not to wear them because they ‘upset’ him (Mind you, the clothes were decent, he just did not like this collar which was in fashion at the time). When he told me I was bipolar, I ended up believing him even though the reason why my moods were so unstable was his selfishness and egoism.

Petty things like this caused my downfall for a few months. Never be someone’s bullying subject so they can feel better about themselves. I am humbly grateful to my friends for bringing me back up to my feet. Learn to love yourself first and never love anyone else more than you love yourself. I am writing this article not to shame anyone but simply for others to understand and be able to relate so maybe one may learn from my mistake.

Thankfully, cherishing the greatest friends and family in life reveals the true colours of life. There is no such thing as ‘some people are worth suffering for’as love should entail no suffering. True love involves no parasite. True love flourishes in equilibrium. Make space for positive people in your life because those are the ones who truly deserve you.