RCGP Safeguarding toolkit
Part 2C: Identifying adult abuse and neglect
Psychological or emotional abuse
This includes:
- enforced social isolation – preventing someone accessing services, educational and social opportunities and seeing friends
- removing mobility or communication aids or intentionally leaving someone unattended when they need assistance
- preventing someone from meeting their religious and cultural needs
- preventing the expression of choice and opinion
- failure to respect privacy
- preventing stimulation, meaningful occupation or activities
- intimidation, coercion, harassment, use of threats, humiliation, bullying, swearing or verbal abuse
- addressing a person in a patronising or infantilising way
- threats of harm or abandonment
- cyber bullying.
Signs and indicators include:
- an air of silence when a particular person is present
- withdrawal or change in the psychological state of the person
- insomnia
- low self-esteem
- uncooperative and aggressive behaviour
- a change of appetite, weight loss/gain
- signs of distress: tearfulness, anger
- apparent false claims, by someone involved with the person, to attract unnecessary treatment.