From: Harvey Newstrom (newstrom@newstaffinc.com)
Date: Mon Jun 07 1999 - 17:00:10 MDT
Michael S. Lorrey <mike@lorrey.com> wrote on Monday, June 07, 1999 5:31 pm:
>
> I read a study once about abusive spouses that found that the blood
pressure of
> a specific personality type of abusers actually DROPS when the abuser is
abusing
> the victim. Anyone know the reference on this?
I don't have a reference, but I know what you are talking about. Most
abusers feel a lack of control. When someone else infringes upon the space
of the abuser, they feel extreme stress about their lack of control. They
lash out violently at the source of the stress and try to control that
person back. By intimidating the stressor and reversing their perceived
lack of control, the stress overreaction is alleviated, and the abuser feels
more relaxed and more in control. Learned behavior reinforces this reaction
after repeated episodes, such that just beginning the abuse become relaxing.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:04:02 MST