Why does he treat me this way?
One way of understanding many abusers is that they feel inside
like babies deserving of an all-giving mother. They do not tolerate
disappointment when you are anything less than perfectly nurturing.
For some abusers, that may occur in any area of your life together.
For others, there particular triggers ( food preparation being
a very common one). Disappointments at home may remind him of
his first household with caretakers who didn't meet his needs.
There is another category of abusers who are interested in all
areas in which they can control you. This may have less to do
with specific disappointments, than with a need for all-out dominance
and a hair-trigger temper that erupts even outside your relationship.
Some professionals also distinguish a third category of abuser.
This is one who lacks the ability to feel the pain of others,
(sometimes enjoys inflicting pain), and has no scruples in manipulating
people in any area of his life. Clearly this is the type of abuser
who puts you in the greatest physical danger.
But our FAQs currently are focussing on the first type of abuser
described above, because his behavior can be the most confusing
to the woman involved with him.
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