Belittling:
* Focuses on diminishing someone's importance or worth: It makes someone feel small and insignificant by downplaying their achievements, skills, or contributions.
* Often involves subtle put-downs or sarcasm: It can be done through indirect comments, jokes, or dismissive language.
* Can be a form of verbal abuse: While not as aggressive as physical abuse, belittling can cause emotional harm and damage self-esteem.
Humiliating:
* Focuses on causing public shame or embarrassment: It aims to make someone feel exposed, ridiculed, and deeply uncomfortable.
* Often involves direct confrontation or public criticism: It can be done through insults, mockery, or public humiliation.
* Can be a form of social abuse: Humiliation can create a feeling of isolation, fear, and shame.
Here are some examples:
* Belittling: "You really think you can do that? You're not very good at this."
* Humiliating: "Look at you, you can't even do that right. Everyone's laughing at you."
In summary:
* Belittling focuses on diminishing someone's importance and making them feel small.
* Humiliating focuses on causing public shame and embarrassment.
Both actions are harmful and can have a negative impact on someone's emotional well-being.