A person's emotions influence every aspect of their life. Especially when you're a child, your emotions are vulnerable with every interaction they receive. When these emotions are continually repressed and destroyed, it is commonly referred to as abuse. For example, Dee, a young married woman, was emotionally abused by her husband on a daily basis. He treated her more like a servant than a wife and she ended up hating his life. She became depressed and eventually considered suicide. It was only then that she considered seeking help (YWCA Mohawk Valley, 2014). About a third of Canadians have been victims of child abuse (CBC Radio, 2014) and about 8% of Canadians suffer from depression (Mood Disorders Society of Canada, 2009)? This is normally a rare topic of conversation in today's society because most people don't like to talk about it. The statistics above are related; many people who experience violence are prone to mental illness. When a child has been physically abused, bruises or other effects are visible on the person. On the other hand, most people don't recognize or even know about the effects of emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can deeply hurt a child and, as the child grows, the scars will remain; the scars that people don't see that can cause a lifetime of pain. These invisible scars can affect a person's development as they struggle to accept themselves, from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. Emotional abuse negatively impacts an individual's self-esteem, which in turn can lead to depression and substance abuse later in adulthood. Experiencing psychological violence in childhood can lead to decreased self-esteem in adolescence. Many parents do not know the difference between... middle of article ......t20139Lowenthal, B. (nd) “Child abuse: effects on development and learning.” Retrieved from http://ecap.crc.illinois.edu/pubs/katzsym/lowenthal.htmlMcLeod, S.A. (2008). “Erik Erikson.” Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.htmlMood Disorders Society of Canada. (2009). “Quick Facts: Mental Illness and Addiction in Canada.” Retrieved from http://www.mooddisorderscanada.ca/documents/Media%20Room/Quick%20Facts%203rd%20Edition%20Eng%20Nov%2012%2009.pdfSzalavitz, M. (2012). "How child abuse prepares the brain for future mental illnesses". Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/15/how-child-abuse-primes-the-brain-for-future-mental-illness/YWCA Mohawk Valley. (2014) “Healing the Trauma of Psychological Abuse: A Survivor’s Story.” Retrieved from http://ywcamv.org/healing-the-trauma-of-emotional-abuse-a-survivors-story/