Verbal abuse, sometimes called emotional or psychological abuse, can take many different forms. Blaming, accusing, name calling, disparaging, yelling and belittling are all forms of verbal abuse. This form of abuse often causes serious emotional pain and mental anguish. The recipient of verbal abuse ends up constantly defending and explaining him or herself to the abuser—an exhausting cycle of back-and-forth contention between the parties that can break a person's spirit nearly beyond repair.