What actually qualifies as abuse?

When does abuse become domestic violence?

And how did social media turn these life-saving terms into weapons of confusion?

In this episode of Breaking Up with Toxicity, Maria Shkreli, LMHC breaks down the critical differences between dysfunction, toxicity, abuse, and domestic violence—and explains why misusing these terms can cause real harm.

As a society, we’ve evolved. Behaviors that were once normalized—like yelling, explosive tempers, and emotional volatility—are now being questioned. That progress matters.

But somewhere along the way, context and nuance were replaced with certainty and fear.

Today, social media, influencers, and non-professionals are shaping how people understand abuse—often without training, assessment, or accountability. Complex mental-health and safety issues are reduced to viral sound bites, leading people to label discomfort as danger and conflict as violence.

In this episode, Maria also challenges a harder truth:

Social media has created a new kind of abuse—one rooted in misinformation, fear-based advice, and unqualified authority.

When people are told what to think instead of how to think, autonomy erodes, discernment disappears, and real victims are drowned out.

You’ll learn:

1. What domestic violence actually is—and what it isn’t
2. How abuse and domestic violence are related but not the same
3. Why DV does not require physical violence to exist
4. How insecurity and low self-esteem can look like DV without coercive control
5. How online misinformation creates psychological harm
6. Why precision and context are essential when safety is involved

This conversation isn’t about minimizing harm.

It’s about protecting the meaning of words meant to save lives.

Because when everything is called abuse, no one is safe.

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to replace therapy, diagnosis, or professional mental health treatment. Content discussed does not constitute clinical assessment or diagnosis of any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek professional support for their own circumstances.