Video: Dr. Phil: Verbal abuse can be worse than physical

soundoff (5 Responses)

1. Sandré Wiley
   

   Hi Anderson,
   I have been disheartened to see all the recent cases of bullying that have been highlighted on the news. As a mother of four children, three of them girls fourteen and under I have had to call my children's school and speak with the prinicipal about graphic, sexual comments made by a young man in my daughter's sixth grade class. I was a little taken aback by the principal's comment that, "the kids were just learing how to communicate and how to use their words." I would also like to see some discussion take place about our children using a permanent solution ( suicide ) to a temporary problem, ( bullying. )
   Yours, Sandré Wiley

   April 12, 2010 at 3:43 pm |
2. teresa, oh
   

   I have to agree with Doc on the verbal abuse. Over time, it wears one down.

   I came from a family of nine kids and most of us would agree, we would all rather be physically beaten on rather than verbally/ mentally abused. Beating each other up after school was the norm in our house, but we didnt take kindly to verbal abuse. ; )

   ( since when is Dr. Phil calling himself a "life strategist" ?)

   "words are like weapons, they wound sometimes"... "life and death are in the tongue"... I truly believe that most Americans, ( and yes, Im one) have become a nation of abusers. We all claim otherwise if taken to task, but it's true.

   April 12, 2010 at 2:04 pm |
3. Suzi
   

   Can we pass laws that allow preventative measures, like restraining orders that victims of bullying can get against their bullies, so they have a way to nip it in the bud. Also, since we don't want to promote censorsism maybe we can use shame and discuss how bad an influence it is for kids to see bullying on TV from Republican shills bullying talk on TV agains their rivals, to Simon Cowell bullying emotionally unstable kids on a talent show, to Survivor and other reality shows implying that bullying can be outwitting, outplaying and outlasting and that is how you win... lets not be hypocrites and let the adults on Tv and in the home and in the schools be held to higher standards of not being bullies themselves, and then maybe they can recognize it and help the victims.

   April 12, 2010 at 1:57 pm |
4. Jennifer - Michigan
   

   I agree that verbal abuse is worse than physical abuse. With verbal abuse, it's much harder to heal from – it takes so much longer. In some cases, maybe a lifetime. Hopefully, by bringing this issue forward, parents and teachers will take it more seriously. We can hope, right?

   April 12, 2010 at 12:19 pm |
5. Jennifer O
   

   Been there done that. That is exactly what my therpist told me years ago. What a relief that was. I learned from her that emotions are always ok. Emotions are never right or wrong. ACtions can be right or wrong. The abuser often tells the abusee that what they are thinking feeling are wrong. I began to stand up to my husband. His reply was
   "What's wring with you?" He didn't like that! I have gone on with my life and much better for it.

   April 12, 2010 at 11:22 am |