For safety during the holidays, we need to talk about “walking on eggshells.”
“Walking on eggshells” is a phrase many survivors accessing BWSS use to describe their daily reality — constantly monitoring tone, behaviour, and mood to avoid conflict, punishment, or harm.
Emotional abuse is often covert and normalized, making it one of the hardest forms of intimate partner violence to name. But there are clear patterns that signal danger.
Signs of walking on eggshells include:
🚩 A partner who becomes angry at the slightest provocation
🚩 Outbursts or complaints that are blown out of proportion
🚩 Verbal attacks, intimidation, or assaults becoming routine
🚩 One partner living in a constant state of vigilance
🚩 Friends and family noticing unpredictable or volatile moods
🚩 Fights or physical blow-ups becoming “normal” in the relationship
🚩 Abusive behaviour rarely followed by accountability or apology
🚩 Refusal to take responsibility for the harm caused
Causing someone to live on constant alert is not a relationship issue, it is a form of abuse. Over time, it can trap someone in an ongoing cycle of fear, control, and harm.
If you or someone you love is experiencing intimate partner or domestic violence, confidential support is available.
📞 BWSS Crisis Line: 1-855-687-1868
Trained advocates are available to help you think through safety, options, and next steps, especially during the holidays.
You deserve safety. You deserve peace.
