"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" We have all heard these words at some point in our lives, but the truth is that words cause us pain. The wounds we receive from verbal abuse cannot be seen as psychological wounds. These psychological wounds we receive become deeply rooted in how we see the world and can stay with us forever. The fact of the matter is that words may not cause us physical pain, but they impact us deeply and cause far more pain and suffering than physical wounds. Because verbal abuse can cause so much pain and suffering, it is vital that as individuals we know and understand exactly what verbal abuse is. Verbal abuse as defined by Patricia Evans, "includes withholding, intimidating, defaming, defining, trivializing, harassing, deflecting, questioning, accusing, blaming, blocking, countering, lying, berating, mocking, humiliating, abuse masquerading as a joke, belittling , threatening, insulting, shouting and enraging." This definition of verbal abuse expands our preconceived idea that verbal abuse is limited only to insults. Although insults are easily identified as verbal abuse, they are not always the most destructive form. Interrogation, the aggressive act of another individual with the intent to cause stress or pain, is one of the most difficult forms of verbal abuse to identify. Interrogation is difficult to identify between people because the interrogator may justify his actions as concern for the other person. This form of verbal abuse, however, can be very harmful to the person being questioned as it can cause the person to become distrustful of those around them, which could cause the individual, in turn, to inter.. . half of paper.. ....ple. I now realize that my actions could have caused an individual to develop self-esteem issues and become distrustful of the world around them. This article really opened my eyes to the world of verbal abuse. I wasn't aware that abuse could take so many forms and that things I thought were innocent interactions could cause people serious psychological harm. I've learned that setting boundaries is the best way to deal with abuse both in the workplace and in interpersonal relationships. I've also learned that when your image starts to feel threatened you need to listen to your "instincts" and do what's necessary to protect yourself from further abuse. I also learned that the effects of verbal abuse can last a lifetime and that we need to be careful about what we say to others. Because sticks and stones can break my bones but words can almost kill me.