But What If Their Emotion Is Real?

One of the hardest things to wrap your head around in an emotionally abusive relationship is the intensity of the other person’s feelings.

They seem sincere.
They cry.
They rage.
They say they love you.

So when you try to name what’s happening, it’s easy to second-guess yourself—especially when people say, “What if they’re just hurt?” or “What if they’re not abusive, just struggling?”

You might find yourself thinking:
What if their emotion really is real? What does that mean? And what does it say about them? And what does it say about me?

I want to break this down because this is one of the most disorienting things I ever went through.