Emotional abuse, also known as "psychological abuse," is any act of verbal assault, humiliation, intimidation, isolation, or confinement that diminishes someone's self-worth or dignity. It can take many forms and can exist in every relationship, whether familial, intimate, or work-related. Emotional abuse, like physical abuse, develops in cycles: the abuse builds as the abuser tries to establish dominance, then the abuser expresses remorse and life returns to normal. However, the cycle will start up again, often with the abuser acting in a more extreme manner. Any act that diminishes your sense of self-worth can be abusive. Common abusive acts include: swearing or yelling name calling, mocking, and insults verbal or physical threats or intimidation isolation or excluding someone Emotional abuse can be every bit as damaging as physical violence in a relationship. Emotional abuse begins to take its toll on your self-esteem, happiness, and even your physical health. Common signs of emotional abuse in romantic relationships include: The abuser criticizes, judges, or humiliates you. The abuser dominates or controls you. The abuser focuses on blame and accusation. You are the victim of emotional distancing. Children can be abused emotionally, not just physically. Although children may lack the words to tell someone that they are being emotionally abused, there are common warning signs: The child withdraws socially. The child loses self-confidence or suffers a decline in school performance. The child is desperate for approval and affection. The child suffers repeat ailments like stomachaches or headaches that do not have a medical cause. The elderly can also be abused emotionally. In the United States, over half a million cases of elder abuse are reported each year. Elder abuse can be perpetrated by anyone who cares for the elderly, whether a family member or a professional. There are many symptoms of emotional abuse in the elderly: They often suffer from hopelessness or low self-esteem. They become shy and withdrawn. They experience sudden changes in sleeping or eating habits. They express a desire to hurt themselves or someone else. Workplace bullying is a serious problem. It is not limited to supervisors bullying subordinates. In fact, almost anyone can become the victim of bullying in the workplace. Some tension is common in most workplaces, but you may be the victim of bullying if: You obsess about work while at home and have trouble sleeping at night. You come home from work lifeless and without any emotional energy. You are afraid to admit to loved ones that you are being bullied and may even suspect that you brought the abuse on yourself. You are isolated by other employees, some of whom are afraid to work with you. Nothing you do is good enough for your boss, and your boss expects perfect performance without offering adequate training or supervision.

Summary: Define emotional abuse. Identify common abusive acts. Check for abuse in romantic relationships. Identify child abuse and neglect. Understand elder abuse. Recognize emotional abuse in the workplace.

When you're beginning to establish your film production company, consider initially producing short films. Short films are brief films, usually 10 to 15 minutes in length, that are cheaper and quicker to produce. Many big film festivals, such as Sundance and South by Southwest, have a short film category. If your film does well at a festival, you can potentially get noticed by an agent. Your production company may be able to get funding or theater distribution for bigger projects. The internet provides exciting new opportunities for young filmmakers. You can upload your content for free on YouTube and, if you generate a following, you may get your content picked up for television. Make sure to include your production company name at the end of all your videos. This way, you'll help people remember your company. Copyright content before posting it online. This will prevent your content from begin stolen. One of the best ways for production companies to get noticed early on is to apply for festivals. Big film festivals include things like South by Southwest, Tribeca Film Festival, and Sundance. You can also try for smaller festivals in your area, which may be less competitive. Applications vary by festival. Usually, you just send in a copy of your film along with a possible submission fee. Prepare yourself emotionally for rejection. The film world is very competitive and you'll likely get far more rejections than acceptances.

Summary: Consider producing shorts. Use the internet to your advantage. Apply to festivals.

Pay attention to how much alcohol your loved one consumes. Were they once only able to handle a few beers before becoming intoxicated, but now they can down an entire case? Needing more and more alcohol to get the same effects may indicate alcoholism. Another key sign that your loved one has alcohol dependence is them making several unsuccessful attempts to quit. Recall if you've heard them vow to stop drinking on multiple different occasions despite it never happening. Many alcoholics may be in denial about their situation and think they have it under control. They may even believe they can stop drinking, if only they tried. A common sign of alcoholism is a person lying about or trying to conceal their drinking habits. Maybe your loved one shows up at the bar an hour early so that others don't see how much they consume. They might keep a stash of alcohol where others can't find it or pretend they are doing other things when really they are drinking. Have you ever seen your loved one drink early in the morning or mid-day to combat issues like shakiness, anxiety, depression, sweating, or headache? They may even need to drink alcohol to function normally because they are so used to having it in their system. People with alcohol dependence may start to experience withdrawal symptoms--like headache or shakiness--when the effects of alcohol wear off. When they drink again, these symptoms will disappear. One potentially dangerous consequence of chronic alcohol abuse is "blacking out" or forgetting things after consuming alcohol. During a blackout, the person may act as usual, but later be unable to recall what they said or did. If your loved one regularly blacks out after a night of heavy drinking, this is not normal. This is a sign of alcohol dependence.
Summary: Figure out if the person's tolerance has increased. Check if the person has tried to stop, but can't. Determine if the person tries to hide their drinking from others. Observe if the person uses alcohol to deal with withdrawal. Recall episodes of blackouts or memory loss.