No – nobody has the right to abuse you emotionally. Sometimes the person who’s abusing you emotionally might be trying very hard to make you believe that it’s your fault, so that you don’t try and get help for what’s going on. No one has the right to make you feel this way - this is wrong.  If you’re being made to feel bad, you don’t have to put up with it and it’s the person who’s doing it to you who needs to change.

Some young people talking to ChildLine don’t realise that what happens to them is wrong because they are used to being treated in this way. It can seem normal to them. You deserve to be treated with care and respect. If you speak out about it, there are people who care - they will listen to you and help you.

It can feel like a big step to tell someone about what’s happening and it can be difficult to explain why someone is making you feel bad. It might feel strange or embarrassing to talk about it, but we are here to listen to you, and you can say anything you want to your ChildLine counsellor.

No one is going to laugh at you or say they don't believe you. ChildLine is a confidential place for you to talk and if you are worried, why not look at our confidentiality promise which explains more about why you can trust us.

If your friend is scared or depressed because of the way her Mum treats her, this could be emotional abuse. The best thing to do is talk to your friend and suggest that they contact ChildLine or talk to an adult they trust. If that doesn't work you could talk to us yourself.

If you think that someone’s not treating you how they should be, you have the right to talk to someone about it.  Some people make the decision to contact Social Services (also called Children’s Services) so that they can get help for themselves or their family. 

If you’re thinking about this, remember that you can come and talk to a ChildLine counsellor about it and we can talk about how you feel and what you want to happen.