Couples’ pranks have been getting very popular on social media, where young men and women deliberately turn each other’s daily lives into misery and film the reactions. These pranks can go from fun and lighthearted to something quite heavy-duty and sometimes even cruel.
This 18-year-old woman with “a history of trauma and PTSD” had also had her boyfriend pulling pranks on her after he got into YouTube. While it all started like games for him, the stunts quickly escalated. One particular prank crossed the line and completely broke down the author.
A woman leaves her boyfriend after he crosses the line with a cruel prank
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Contrary to popular belief, there can be a very dark side to pranks like this, clinical specialist warns
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In the era of social media, people are willing to do anything for likes and subscribes. No wonder couples’ pranks have been getting super popular lately, with people eager to test their reactions, and sometimes their whole relationship.
Dr. Stephanie A. Sarkis, a AMHCA diplomate, multiple book author and clinical specialist in child and adolescent counseling, explains the dark side of pranks, “any planned ‘surprise’ behavior that scares or humiliates, or otherwise causes distress to the victim,” in an article for Psychology Today.
Worryingly, pranksters often aren’t aware of the harm and tell their victims “to lighten up”
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Many of these pranks are more dangerous than they seem to the pranksters. “Spouses, partners, family members, and friends have been subject to pranks that involve gruesome scenes, physical harm, and humiliation,” Dr. Sarkis argues.
Moreover, “When some victims confronted the people perpetrating the prank, their concerns were brushed off or told they needed to ‘lighten up.’”
But pranks can easily trigger past trauma, cause hypervigilance, or an erosion of trust in a relationship. If the video is posted online for others to see, the victim can also feel humiliated.
The OP later answered some questions in the comments
Your feelings about being pranked show if pranks are a form of abuse
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When pranks cross the line, they can been perceived as a tool to gain control over a partner, family members and friends, Dr. Sarkis argues.
“Pranks can invoke fear and give the perpetrator a feeling of power over others. If you are constantly feeling off-kilter, or walking on eggshells (hypervigilance) due to a prank, consider that these pranks are a form of abusive behavior. If a behavior upsets you, it’s a valid feeling,” Dr. Sarkis explains.
And this is how people reacted to this story
Later, the author shared this update
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That is absolutely domestic abuse. The terrifying part is how he kept upping his game to get bigger and bigger reactions from her. She was in no way safe in that relationship, mentally or physically. I'm glad she got out and I hope he gets some help from a qualified professional.
You're exactly right! He's a sick fucq! 😫! My ex-husband, knowing that I have CPTSD, used to wait until I was under the shower or laying in the tub with my head under water and silently come into the bathroom and get in my face. I'd feel a difference in air or the sensation of someone being there and my startle response would go off, have panic attacks and hyperventilate. He knew that it would unhinge me every time but would keep doing it. He'd also come in and use the bathroom and turn the lights off and shut the door and try to say that he forgot I was in there. I wouldn't even know that he had been in there until after the lights went out and I yelled out to see why. Sometimes he would do these things as he came in from work, knowing that I wouldn't have a clue that he was even in the house. So it was extra terrifying. He'd wake me up from a sound sleep the same way. My panic attacks would be so bad I'd feel like I was going to have a heart attack. I don't miss him.
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That's abuse, plain and simple. You did the right thing by dumping his cruel a*s.
One of the conditions needed to be a 'prank' is, the target has to realistically find it funny (if you misjudge that, that means it was a bad prank but still a prank). Here he full well knows 100% she will not laugh. So yes that's bullying/abuse; no room for discussion.
Load More Replies... That is absolutely domestic abuse. The terrifying part is how he kept upping his game to get bigger and bigger reactions from her. She was in no way safe in that relationship, mentally or physically. I'm glad she got out and I hope he gets some help from a qualified professional.
You're exactly right! He's a sick fucq! 😫! My ex-husband, knowing that I have CPTSD, used to wait until I was under the shower or laying in the tub with my head under water and silently come into the bathroom and get in my face. I'd feel a difference in air or the sensation of someone being there and my startle response would go off, have panic attacks and hyperventilate. He knew that it would unhinge me every time but would keep doing it. He'd also come in and use the bathroom and turn the lights off and shut the door and try to say that he forgot I was in there. I wouldn't even know that he had been in there until after the lights went out and I yelled out to see why. Sometimes he would do these things as he came in from work, knowing that I wouldn't have a clue that he was even in the house. So it was extra terrifying. He'd wake me up from a sound sleep the same way. My panic attacks would be so bad I'd feel like I was going to have a heart attack. I don't miss him.
Load More Replies... That's abuse, plain and simple. You did the right thing by dumping his cruel a*s.
One of the conditions needed to be a 'prank' is, the target has to realistically find it funny (if you misjudge that, that means it was a bad prank but still a prank). Here he full well knows 100% she will not laugh. So yes that's bullying/abuse; no room for discussion.
Load More Replies...
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