|
This type of destructive control behavior is used by the abuser in order to shame, scare, or terrorize the child into compliance. The abuser will predict some catastrophe and then use it to control the child. The abuser might say something like, "If you do this, then ________ will happen. And it will really be terrible; something really bad will happen to you." The idea is to instill shame, terror, or fear in order to force
(control) the child into not making the same mistake twice. Doomsaying is also a form of coercion. That is to say controlling by use of fear, terror, and shame. Unfortunately, children don't realize that fixing whatever the problem is can change that "catastrophic" outcome. Their perceptions
and reactions to this "catastrophic" outcome are based on information received from an abuser. And left unexamined, the child continues to react or overreact in response to these same kinds of events as an adult doomsayer, and with no forethought as to the possible changes that have occurred over time or alternate coping strategies for the situation. |
