ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Psychological torture

Psychological torture is when someone makes you feel very scared or upset on purpose. They don't hurt you physically, but they use different methods to hurt you mentally.

Imagine you have a favorite toy. It's your most favorite thing in the world. Now imagine someone takes that toy away from you and won't give it back. They tell you that you can have it back, but only if you do something they want you to do. They might also say mean things to you and make you feel like you're not important.

Psychological torture is kind of like that. Someone might say things to you that make you doubt yourself, make you scared, or just make you feel really bad. They might also isolate you from other people to make you feel alone and helpless.

It is a really bad thing to do to someone and can cause a lot of long-term damage. And it's important to remember that if someone ever tries to do this to you, it is not your fault and you can seek help.