people who treat others cruelly or harmfully, whether physically, emotionally, or verbally; or people who misuse substances or medications.
From French 'abuser,' from Latin 'abusus' meaning 'misused.' The 'abu-' prefix means 'away from' and 'usus' means 'use'—so literally 'using wrongly.'
Neuroscience shows that childhood trauma from abuse can actually change brain structure, particularly in regions handling emotion and memory—explaining why healing requires long-term support.
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