Verbal Abuse is insidious and finds its way in many lives...learning what it is and what you can do to protect yourself from it is a step in the right direction to wellness.  Here is a lip from HealthyPlace.com:

"Although we victims know our verbal abuser is spouting lies about us, these thoughts go through our minds:

• Oh no! Here we go! Where can I find a safe place?
• Why does he do this?
• Where are the kids?
• What should I do? Yell back? Run out the door? Be silent?
• How can someone who loves me say these things to me?
• Maybe I wasn’t clear when I talked to him about this.
• If he would listen to me then he would understand the truth!
• If he thinks so little of me then maybe I am not who I thought I was.
• and, at some point, we find ourselves agreeing him, just a little through word or action, so he will think we believe him.

It’s the times we pretend to agree that are the most dangerous to our mental health. First and foremost, acting a part can lead to playing that part. I mean that the more often we must pretend to agree, the more likely it is that we will come to agree, in some measure, with his lies.

I never came to truly believe my husband’s version of reality. But the doubt about “reality” that he successfully implanted in my mind left me in a gray shock, holding on tightly to disbelief in his lies and unable to believe him when he spoke the truth. My ability to honor my fearabout what he may do disintegrated.